Attorney: Ex-field hockey coach plans to sue UI

IOWA CITY - Former Iowa women's field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum plans to file a lawsuit against the University of Iowa nearly a year after her dismissal, her attorney Tom Newkirk told The Gazette on Monday morning.

Griesbaum was fired last August after allegations of abuse and misconduct surfaced in a university investigation. Griesbaum was fired without cause and paid $200,000 but disputes the findings. Griesbaum and Newkirk wanted UI to conduct an independent investigation into alleged gender bias within the athletics department but they were rebuffed.

'I just want to be clear,” Newkirk told The Gazette, 'we're filing suit because we have no choice because the university abjectly refuses to simply investigate.”

Griesbaum was fired Aug. 5 after an investigation by UI Human Resources and the UI Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (EOD). In 14 years as head coach, Griesbaum was 169-107 and directed Iowa to three Big Ten Tournament titles, one regular season title and a Final Four appearance.

Griesbaum's partner, senior associate athletics director Jane Meyer, was reassigned from the department in December pending possible litigation by Griesbaum. Meyer was the senior women's administrator for 14 years and now works in facilities. Multiple sources told The Gazette that Meyer also plans to sue the university.

Newkirk said Griesbaum had to file complaints with both the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before making her lawsuit official. The lawsuit will be filed in Polk County.

'Once that process is complete, I'm assuming that the University of Iowa's position is not going to change and forces us to file a suit against them rather than them doing what we've asked them to do for the last year, which is investigate the problem,” Newkirk said.

The University of Iowa responded with a statement to The Gazette:

'The University of Iowa has received notification from the Iowa Civil Rights Commission about the complaint filed by Tracey Griesbaum. The UI respects the commission's jurisdiction and will cooperate fully with the investigation.

'The UI's decision to change leadership in the field hockey program was not related to gender.

'UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta decided to remove Tracy Griesbaum after an investigation conducted by the UI Department of Human Resources and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity which did not find violations of specific UI policy, but did describe a team environment of 'fear, intimidation, and/or mistreatment by Coach Griesbaum.”

'The investigation was in response to multiple complaints of harassment and mistreatment from student-athletes in the field hockey program over a period of several years.

'Griesbaum's employment contract permitted the University of Iowa to terminate her employment without cause which, if acted on, required payment of $200,000 to Griesbaum. The UI terminated Griesbaum's contract and fulfilled its financial obligation.”

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com