MSU interim president criticized victim in emails
Emails show the interim president of Michigan State University criticized lawyers who represent Larry Nassar’s assault victims and said a former gymnast probably was getting a “kickback” from her attorney.
John Engler’s remarks were made to a university lawyer in April, a month before Michigan State agreed to a $500 million settlement with hundreds of women and girls who said they were assaulted by Nassar, a sports doctor. The Chronicle of Higher Education and Detroit Free Press reported on the emails Wednesday.
Engler said he thought victims were “being manipulated by trial lawyers” and that lawyers would get “millions of dollars more” than their clients.
Engler said he thought Rachael Denhollander was likely getting a kickback from her lawyer. She has been outspoken and in 2016 was the first to publicly say she was a Nassar victim. Denhollander says Engler’s comments reflect a “culture of abuse.”
BASKETBALL
Anne Donovan, the Basketball Hall of Famer who won a national championship at Old Dominion, two Olympic gold medals in the 1980s and coached the U.S. to gold in 2008, died Wednesday of heart failure. She was 56.
Donovan’s family confirmed the death in a statement.
“While it is extremely difficult to express how devastating it is to lose Anne, our family remains so very grateful to have been blessed with such a wonderful human being,” the statement said. “Anne touched many lives as a daughter, sister, aunt, friend and coach. Anne was a person with strong faith, courageous spirit, a giving heart and love for everyone,” her family’s statement continued. “We are so proud of her accomplishments as a women’s basketball player and coach, but even more proud of her character, integrity, humility and kindness.”
Donovan was at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee, last weekend.
She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, was part of the inaugural class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 and was inducted in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Jordan McNair, a University of Maryland football player hospitalized after an organized team workout two weeks ago, has died.
Maryland executive athletic director Damon Evans said McNair was hospitalized May 29 and died Wednesday. He was 19.
The school would not disclose the cause of death. McNair was a 6-foot-4, 325-pound offensive lineman preparing for his sophomore season. A graduate of McDonogh High School, McNair played one game last season.
After leading McDonogh to an 8-3 record as a senior, McNair chose Maryland over Ohio State, Auburn, Penn State and Rutgers.
In a statement, Maryland coach DJ Durkin said, “Our team is heartbroken with the loss of Jordan McNair. Jordan was an incredible young man, and his passion and enthusiasm made him an invaluable and beloved member of our team.”