Illinois Chancellor Phyllis Wise Resigns Amid Athletic Department Investigations

According to a report by Sports Illustrated, University of Illinois chancellor Phyllis Wise resigned from her position Thursday.

Wise released a statement saying that "external issues" had disrupted the university's operations over the past 12 months. She wrote, "I have concluded that these issues are diverting much needed energy and attention from our goals."

Allegations of discrimination and abuse within the Fighting Illini women’s basketball and men's football programs are among those external issues.

According to Sports Illustrated, families of three women’s basketball players wrote letters accusing coach Matt Bollant of "verbal and emotional abuse." They also accused associate coach Mike Divilbiss of displaying "sexual inappropriateness."

Although an independent investigation found claims of discrimination unfounded, seven former players on the women's basketball team filed a lawsuit against the coaches and Mike Thomas, the university's athletic director.

As for football, former offensive lineman Simon Cvijanovic accused coach Tim Beckman of "abuse and misuse of power," per Mitch Sherman of ESPN.com. 

According to Sherman, Cvijanovic claimed Beckman "urged him to play through injury and discarded him after Cvijanovic endured psychological problems last year in the wake of shoulder and knee injuries that ended his playing career."

The lineman also posted about the matter on his Twitter page, per Sherman: 

"

I'm trying to give everyone the power to stand up. [Players] here don't believe in themselves. They think everything that is happening is normal, but Beckman is exploiting all the negatives of the NCAA.

He's knows we have no one to go to, and by the time we can afford to stand up for ourselves, it's too late.

"

The football investigation is still ongoing.