LITIGATION

Association settles lawsuit brought by Washington coach

Association settles lawsuit brought by Washington coach

A trial to hear a former university head football coach's claims against the NCAA and the University of Washington of defamation and tortious interference with a contractural relationship ended March 7 with a settlement agreement between the plaintiff and defendants.

"The NCAA has agreed to a settlement in the lawsuit brought against the Association by former University of Washington head football coach Rick Neuheisel," NCAA President Myles Brand said in a statement. "The settlement is in the amount of $2.5 million and includes Mr. Neuheisel's attorney's fees and costs.

"One of the issues in the lawsuit was the meaning of NCAA Bylaw 32.3.7 (Disclosure of Purpose of Interview). Editorial revisions to the bylaw were adopted effective approximately six weeks before Mr. Neuheisel was interviewed in June 2003. The NCAA's
interpretation of Bylaw 32.3.7 is that the
disclosures required by the bylaw may be made at any time before the staff asks questions of an interviewee. Moreover, the disclosures required do not include a disclosure of the specific NCAA bylaw that the interviewee may have violated. In the NCAA's view, a broader reading of the bylaw is contrary to the intent of the drafters of the bylaw, and inconsistent with the language and purpose of the bylaw.

"The settlement in this case is the result of restrictions placed on the NCAA by the court about how the Association could explain the bylaw and defend its rightful interpretation.

"I have complete confidence that the NCAA enforcement staff acted properly and in compliance with NCAA bylaws with regard to Mr. Neuheisel's interviews. Even so, an independent examination of procedures and processes employed by the national office staff to implement NCAA bylaws will be expanded to review this specific instance. In addition, the Association's general counsel is reviewing all enforcement interviews subsequent to April 2003, where ethical-conduct concerns were being addressed and where the same interpretation was applied. The Association's member institutions hold themselves and their employees to a high standard of compliance with NCAA bylaws, and the NCAA staff will continue to hold itself to the same high standard."

SPORTSMANSHIP

Committee invites nominations for 2005 Sportsmanship Awards

TDivisions I, II and III conferences and independent institutions are invited to submit one male and one female student-athlete to be considered for the 2005 Sportsmanship Awards.

The NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct selects one male and one female winner in each division from all nominees, and then one male and one female overall winner.

Nominations are due June 15. The nomination form can be found online at www. ncaa.org/awards/sportsmanship/nomina tions.html.

Among other criteria, a nominee must have demonstrated consistently good sportsmanship and ethical behavior in daily participation in intercollegiate athletics during 2003-04, good citizenship outside of sports competition, and must also be in good academic standing.

The 2004 NCAA Sportsmanship Awards went to female honoree Chanda Gunn of Northeastern University (America East Conference) and male co-honorees Danny Gathings of High Point University (Big South Conference) and the Mesa State College football team (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference).

STAFF CONTACT: Ron Stratten (rstratten@ncaa.org)

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