Joan Gabel, P.J. Fleck and Hugh McCutcheon to represent Minnesota on Big Ten's Anti-Racism Coalition

Student-athletes Seth Green and Gadiva Hubbard also will represent the Gophers for the coalition.

June 15, 2020 at 11:40PM
University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel, volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon (top right) and football coach P.J. Fleck will be part of the Gophers' representation on the Big Ten's new Anti-Racism Coalition.
University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel, volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon (top right) and football coach P.J. Fleck will be part of the Gophers' representation on the Big Ten's new Anti-Racism Coalition. (Brian Wicker/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Big Ten announced Monday the members of the newly formed Big Ten Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition, including Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck, volleyball coach Hugh McCutheon and University President Joan Gabel.

The Coalition, initially announced in a June 1 open letter from conference Commissioner Kevin Warren after George Floyd's killing, will "seek tangible ways to actively and constructively combat racism and hate around the world while also empowering student-athletes to express their rights to free speech and peaceful protest," per a release.

Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle as well as student-athletes Seth Green (football) and Gadiva Hubbard (basketball) are the school's other representatives.

The Big Ten also announced a voter registration initiative to encourage student-athletes to vote, foster "open and honest dialogue with laws enforcement" and ensure equal opportunity to vote, per the release.

"We have the distinct opportunity and responsibility through our Coalition to continually encourage, educate and empower our student-athletes," Warren said in a statement, "as we embrace transparent and much-needed dialogue regarding meaningful issues that have impacted race relations for many years."

about the writer

about the writer

Megan Ryan

Business team leader

Megan Ryan is a business department team leader.

See More