New U. of Maryland board chair apologizes over player death

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University System of Maryland Board of Regents has a new chair, and her first public act was to apologize for how university officials responded to a player’s death.

The Baltimore Sun reports Linda Gooden apologized Wednesday to the family of 19-year-old Terrapins football player Jordan McNair, who collapsed from heatstroke on the field in May and later died. The 17-member board has spent weeks overseeing two investigations into his death.

University President Wallace Loh said he would resign, but the board chair, James Brady, announced that head football coach DJ Durkin and athletic director Damon Evans would keep their positions. Backlash quickly prompted Loh to fire Durkin, and Brady resigned the next day.

Gooden says the board now understands its personnel recommendations were wrong.

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Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com