NCAA DIII Basketball Coach Suspended After 5 Players Sent to Hospital During Practice

Concordia University Chicago has fallen under the national spotlight after five men’s basketball players were sent to the hospital following a rigorous workout.

Two games have been canceled as a result, and head coach Steve Kollar has been temporarily removed from his position in the NCAA Division III program.

The Chicago Tribune’s report of events included a synopsis of the letter from Concordia’s AD that was sent out to parents explaining the situation. Below is an excerpt from the Tribune’s report.

Athletic director Pete Gnan sent a letter to parents Thursday, explaining what happened after a late December trip to California, where the team played two games. He said the team was put through a “particularly high-intensity, collegiate-level circuit training” on Dec. 31.

“It has been alleged by some that the intensity and difficulty of Saturday’s practice was a direct consequence” of players breaking curfew while in California, Gnan said.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether any players were still in the hospital. An email seeking comment was sent to an athletic department spokesperson Saturday.

“Our athletics program has zero tolerance for harassment or retaliatory actions of any kind, and reporting mechanisms are in place for students, coaches and related staff,” Gnan wrote in his letter.

The Division III Cougars postponed games they were supposed to play Tuesday and Saturday.

To read the full story from the Chicago Tribune about the NCAA DIII basketball program, click here.