Newark, N.J.—Julie Hermann is not resigning as Rutgers’ incoming athletic director following a report that 16 years ago she humiliated and emotionally abused players while coaching Tennessee’s women’s volleyball team. And the university is standing behind her.
“I never considered withdrawing because I feel very qualified to lead Rutgers into the future and into the transition into the Big Ten,” Hermann said Monday during a conference call in response to a report in the Star-Ledger of Newark. “And I do feel the support of the Rutgers community.”
Embattled Rutgers President Robert Barchi said in a statement the university looks forward to her running the athletic department. He added that she was the best of the 63 candidates interviewed for the job of succeeding Tim Pernetti.
“Rutgers was deliberative at every stage of this process,” Barchi said. “Over the course of the search, Julie’s record established her as a proven leader in athletics administration with a strong commitment to academic success as well as athletic excellence, and a strong commitment to the well-being of student athletes.
Despite the Star-Ledger report, Barchi said Hermann’s entire career is stellar and “we remain confident that we have selected an individual who will work in the best interests of all of our student athletes, our athletics teams, and the university.”
Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Hermann denied having knowledge of a letter written by the 15 Tennessee players on the volleyball team. She said her former boss never heard of it and she never heard her former players make the allegation. Rutgers officials, however, have talked to her about it in recent days, she said.
