A Black college football player watched his lifelong dream crumble after enduring relentless racial discrimination and exclusion from the very teammates he trusted. Brook Williams, an 18-year-old freshman at Aurora University in Illinois, had set his sights on playing NCAA Division III football at the institution he visited, impressed by the image of “brotherhood” portrayed by the program. 

Williams grew up local to the area and believed Aurora would be a perfect fit. He said: “I was so stuck on Aurora and like the picture they painted of the brotherhood.” But soon after moving onto the team in August, his dream turned into a nightmare when he opted to live at a teammates’ off-campus house to avoid commuting. He became the only Black male in the household, and targeted. 

Williams reported that one of his roommates used the N-word and warned him: “You better not go in my room.” He added that on another occasion a teammate entered and asked: “What are you doing sleeping here? Don’t you guys sleep in trees?” — a comment that prompted him to realise he was being compared to a monkey Williams also recalled hearing what he believed to be a threat referencing the killing of George Floyd, a comment that caused him to fear for his safety. 

He alerted the university to the harassment and told staff that one teammate had warned him, “some of the guys are racist.” According to documents reviewed by the media, the university found “there was no evidence that [Williams] had any motivation to fabricate the allegations … and it is clear something significant happened.”

Despite the finding, the case raises serious questions about the university’s response and accountability. The investigation confirmed a hostile-environment based on race, yet there’s no public indication that significant disciplinary actions were taken. Two accused players reportedly had their punishments reduced on appeal to just racial-sensitivity training and were allowed back on the team. 

Feeling unsupported and unsafe, Williams withdrew from the school in early September and forfeited his scholarship—reportedly worth up to around US $60,000. He left without ever playing a game for the team.

“At night, just lying in bed, asking myself: am I enough? Did I deserve this?” Williams said, reflecting on the emotional toll. Meanwhile, his mother, Aisha Williams, described her heartbreak: “For the first time in my life I felt like I could not protect my child … These boys, they’re living their American dream while he’s stuck, sad, afraid, hurt, doesn’t know his next move.”

The family says they are working with the NAACP and exploring legal options against Aurora University, demanding meaningful structural changes to prevent other student-athletes of color from experiencing the same hostile climate. 

Aurora University issued the following public statement:

“Aurora University is deeply committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive community where every student feels valued and supported. We are aware of a social-media post regarding a former student-athlete and allegations of harassment. We take all reports such as these extremely seriously. … While federal law prevents the university from sharing details about specific student or employee matters … we follow established policies and procedures when reviewing and evaluating reports such as these … Every report is carefully reviewed and investigated … and appropriate and responsive action is taken whenever policy violations are found.” 

This incident offers a stark illustration of how racial isolation in a predominantly white athletic program, compounded by insufficient institutional accountability, can derail a promising young athlete’s path. Williams says he still hopes to return to football somewhere new—but the trust, the scholarship, and the brotherhood he was promised are gone.