The University of Illinois has announced a
pair of settlements involving former female basketball players who
sued the school and its former football coach, Tim Beckman.
Campus officials said Tuesday that the seven former players will
receive a one-time payment of $375,000 to split among them. The
University of Illinois Board of Trustees must approve the
settlement. The women sued in 2015, claiming basketball coaches
created a racially hostile environment. The women, through their
attorney Terry Ekl, said in a statement that they're happy ''no
other student athlete may have to experience what we have.''
The school also said Beckman would receive a one-time payment of
$250,000, which doesn't need approval from trustees. Allegations of
player abuse led the school to fire Beckman a week before last
season started.