College to pay $560K to ex-athletic director in abuse case

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — San Jose State University has agreed to pay $560,000 to a former deputy athletic director who was fired in retaliation for alerting school officials about complaints that the then-director of sports medicine had sexually assaulted student-athletes. Steve O’Brien’s attorneys announced the settlement Wednesday. O’Brien was fired on March 3, 2020, after he took the side of the students and Sage Hopkins, the university’s women’s swimming and diving coach, who repeatedly alerted school officials about the complaints against Scott Shaw. Shaw resigned in 2020 after allegations resurfaced in news reports accusing him of inappropriately touching swimmers during physical therapy from 2006 to 2009. He has denied misconduct, and no criminal charges have been filed against him.