Former UW-Platteville head wrestling coach, Trevor Kittleson was fired, in part, because of what’s known as a hidden “hot box” that was built under the bleacher stairs at Williams Fieldhouse. According to a report, a letter written to Kittleson from the university’s Vice Chancellor and Provost, Wayne Weber, outlines why Kittleson was fired back on February 13th. The letter stated, “the behavior you are shown to have engaged in towards student athletes and others is simply unacceptable for a head coach. But even more concerning is the “hot box” which was clearly created with your knowledge and acquiescence.” The hot box was used to help student-athletes lose weight, which is in violation of NCAA rules. The rules pertain to prohibited weight-loss practices. Banned methods include the use of laxatives, emetics, self-induced vomiting, hot rooms, hot boxes and steam rooms. In a report, the hot box was found hidden behind the wrestling room beneath the stars of the bleachers over the pool. An employee was watching wrestling practice when they heard noise coming from behind the wall of the wrestling room. That’s when the employee found the hot box hidden by a plywood wall and a plywood door on hinges. An electrical box was retrofitted to accommodate electrical plugs for two large space heaters. The employee says when they walked in, a wrestler was working out on a bike, and the space heaters were raised to the highest setting and glowed bright red. They estimated it was over 100 degrees in the hot box. The university concluded the hot box was made specifically to raise the temperature above a safe level in an unventilated space to induce unsafe weight loss practices outside the official wrestling space. They say since it was hidden it’s apparent that leadership staff were not meant to see it. Not only was it a safety and fire hazard and against school rules, but it also violated NCAA rules as well.
