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U of Illinois settles with female athletes, ex-coach Beckman

Matt Bollant

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2015 file photo, Illinois women’s basketball coach Matt Bollant talks with reporters in Champaign, Ill. In a motion filed Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, the university argues that a judge should dismiss a lawsuit filed by seven former women’s basketball players because the school cannot be sued in federal court. In the lawsuit filed in July, the players accuse Bollant and former assistant coach Mike Divilbiss of violating their civil rights by creating a racially hostile environment. (Rick Danzl/The News-Gazette via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT

AP

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) 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.