Shannon Ryan

Shannon Ryan is a former Chicago Tribune sports writer.

Students, faculty and others gather outside the home of Northwestern President Morton Schapiro to hear speakers during a rally to protest the hiring of Mike Polisky as the university's new athletic director on May 7, 2021, in Evanston.

Mike Polisky resigns: The timeline of events that led to the Northwestern AD’s departure after less than 2 weeks

May 14, 2021 at 12:49 a.m.

Northwestern athletic director Mike Polisky resigned Wednesday, only nine days after his hiring was announced. Polisky, a deputy athletic director at the university for more than a decade before his...

Mike Polisky resigns as Northwestern athletic director after continued criticism of his hiring: ‘I do not want to be a distraction’

May 13, 2021 at 3:23 p.m.

Mike Polisky stepped down Wednesday from his newly appointed role as Northwestern athletic director as criticism continued to mount against his hiring. Polisky was promoted from his deputy athletic director...

Letter supporting Northwestern’s hiring of athletic director Mike Polisky is signed by more than 140 alumni, donors and student-athletes

May 12, 2021 at 10:22 p.m.

More than 140 people connected to Northwestern signed a letter addressed to the university board of trustees in support of new athletic director Mike Polisky, whose hiring has been the...

Small forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. of Sussex (Wis.) Hamilton looks for the ball during a game against Evanston on Feb. 8, 2020, at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. Baldwin, the nation's fourth-ranked prospect, will play for his father at Milwaukee, he announced Wednesday.

Patrick Baldwin Jr., the nation’s 4th-ranked prospect, will play for his father at Milwaukee — shunning Duke and Georgetown

May 12, 2021 at 9:49 p.m.

Patrick Baldwin Jr., one of the nation's top high school basketball recruits, announced Wednesday that he will stay in his home state and play for his father at Milwaukee. The...

Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals fans watch the game at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 11, 2021.

What Cubs and White Sox fans said about returning to the ballpark — and what can be improved as capacity increases

May 16, 2021 at 2:02 p.m.

Lakeview couple Meredith Burlew and Andrew McDonald missed going to Chicago White Sox games in 2020, when the pandemic kept fans from baseball stadiums. They usually take in nearly 20...

Students, faculty, and community members march toward the home of Northwestern President Morton Shapiro to protest the hiring of Mike Polisky as the university's athletic director on May 7, 2021, in Evanston.

Nearly 400 protest Northwestern’s hiring of AD Mike Polisky with a march to President Morton Schapiro’s home: ‘They made a mistake. They should change their minds.’

May 10, 2021 at 1:44 p.m.

Nearly 400 Northwestern students, faculty and community members marched Friday afternoon from campus to university President Morton Schapiro's home to protest the hiring of Mike Polisky as athletic director. Protest...

Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro attends the opening of Northwestern Academy's learning space on Jan. 22, 2017, at the university's Streeterville campus.

Northwestern President Morton Schapiro defends hiring Mike Polisky as athletic director, saying he met the ‘highest standard of conduct and character’

May 7, 2021 at 12:45 a.m.

Following days of criticism surrounding Mike Polisky's hiring as Northwestern's athletic director, university President Morton Schapiro released a letter Thursday explaining his decision and stating confidence that Polisky met the...

Illinois assistant coach Ron "Chin" Coleman watches the team play Ohio State in overtime of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on March 14, 2021.

Illinois loses assistant coaches Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman to Kentucky, then adds Chester Frazier to its staff

May 7, 2021 at 12:05 a.m.

Illinois officially lost two top basketball assistant coaches Thursday when Kentucky announced Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman are joining John Calipari's staff, and former Illini point guard Chester Frazier was...

Northwestern faculty say they’re ‘alarmed’ and ’embarrassed’ by athletic director Mike Polisky’s hiring and plan to protest at President Morton Schapiro’s house

May 6, 2021 at 6:19 p.m.

Northwestern's announcement of Mike Polisky as its new athletic director has been met coolly by some alumni and campus leaders who have expressed confusion and resistance to the selection, according...

DePaul men's basketball coach Tony Stubblefield answers questions from the media at Wintrust Arena on April 7, 2021.

DePaul coach Tony Stubblefield adds 3 to his staff, including former Illinois assistant and Public League coach Paris Parham

May 4, 2021 at 9:41 p.m.

DePaul men's basketball coach Tony Stubblefield has hired three members of his inaugural staff, the program announced Tuesday. Paris Parham, a former Illinois assistant, and Steve Thomas, a former Richmond...

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