Maryland fires two trainers in wake of McNair death probe
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The fallout at the University of Maryland from the death of Jordan McNair continued with the dismissal of two trainers involved in the football player’s treatment after he collapsed on a practice field in late May.
Head coach D.J. Durkin was fired last week after one day of reinstatement from paid administrative leave, which he had been placed on in August.
Maryland has not formally announced the firing of the two trainers who were on paid leave, and the school has never released their names. However, a person familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press in August that football athletic trainer Wes Robinson and director of athletic training Steve Nordwall had been placed on leave after McNair’s death.
On Wednesday, athletic department spokesman Dustin Semonavick said, “The trainers that were previously on administrative leave are no longer employed at the university.”
Nordwall and Robinson were put on leave while the school launched an external investigation into the death of McNair, an offensive lineman who was overcome by heat and exhaustion May 29 and died June 13.
Rick Court, the football program’s head of strength and conditioning, resigned in August.
After McNair’s death, the university launched independent investigations into his treatment on the scene and the culture of the football program. The report on the handling of McNair determined he was not provided the necessary aid and that trainers waited too long to contact emergency medical personnel.
Dr. Rod Walters, a former college athletic trainer and sports medicine consultant who led the investigation, said more than an hour and a half elapsed between the time McNair collapsed and the departure of the ambulance from the campus.
Maryland athletic director Damon Evans acknowledged in August that the training staff failed to provide the proper treatment to McNair, a 19-yearold sophomore. University president Wallace Loh visited McNair’s parents to offer a personal apology for how the situation was handled.
McNair’s parents are considering taking legal action against the school.
Interim coach Matt Canada has been running the team this season, though his long-term future is unclear. Maryland takes a 5-4 record into Saturday’s game at Indiana (4-5).