University of Maryland asks state for $50,000 to settle lawsuit by former softball coach

The University of Maryland asked the state’s Board of Public Works for $50,000 to settle a lawsuit filed against the institution by former softball coach Julia Wright.

The school is requesting the public agency approve the settlement during its meeting April 3. According to the written proposal, one check amounting to $16,516.30 would go to Wright, and another check of $33,483.70 would go to the law firm of Newkirk Zwagerman, which is representing Wright.

Thomas Newkirk, one of two attorneys representing Wright, declined to comment. A University of Maryland spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

According to the lawsuit filed July 14, 2021, Wright was hired to coach the Terps on July 17, 2015 and was fired Aug. 7, 2019. The university “allowed” Wright to describe the decision as a resignation, according to the suit. .

“While this was not an easy decision, it was the right one at this time,” Wright said at the time in a written statement. “I am truly thankful for having the opportunity to be the head softball coach at Maryland [for] the last four years. I am especially grateful for the student-athletes and staff members who dedicated so much time to the program.”

But according to the suit, Wright “suffered loss of employment, emotional pain and suffering, humiliation, embarrassment, inconvenience, damage to her reputation, loss of career, and out-of-pocket expenses. … As a result of Defendant’s actions, Coach Wright seeks monetary damages including, but not limited to, economic and career loss and damages for the indignity and humiliation of being retaliated against.”

Wright’s tenure with the Terps was uneven as they went 59-147-1 overall and 19-73 in the Big Ten and qualified for only one of four league tournaments. In her final season, that team compiled a 16-12 record against nonconference opponents before going 4-19 in the Big Ten.

In the suit, Wright alleged she was held to a higher standard than male counterparts who had more resources and opportunities, endured retaliation for voicing her concerns about gender inequities, and was fired for pursuing fair and equal treatment of female student-athletes.

The university, according to the suit, “chose to fire a great coach because she advocated for gender equality on behalf of herself, her program, and her student-athletes, in an effort to silence her and others who might bring concerns forward.”

According to the lawsuit, Wright “believed there was support from the administration” when the mother of a pair of players complained about a reduction in their playing time because former athletic director Kevin Anderson told Wright that the complaint was “baseless.”

The suit also claimed administrators received an anonymous complaint from the uncle of a player who had received less playing time and had been talked to repeatedly by Wright about changing her attitude. The uncle, who was called “Tom Snitch,” asserted that Wright forced the players to run barefoot during the winter.

Wright told the administration that she did not force the players to run in their bare feet and said some elected to run in their socks on a 60-degree day instead of trading their softball cleats for running shoes. The lawsuit said the school “fully accepted her explanation.”

According to the suit, Wright was also accused of withholding food. Wright asserted she worked with a nutritionist to limit the amount of junk food the players could eat and that there were expense reports that detailed the amount of food that was purchased for the team.

The lawsuit also addressed a claim that Wright was responsible for a workout during which a player with a medical condition got ill. But Wright countered that the session was developed by a member of the school’s strength and conditioning staff, the player’s medical issue was not disclosed by the individual or the training staff, and that she changed future workouts to accommodate the player’s condition.

According to the suit, the university cited those complaints as reasons for firing Wright in 2019. She also said she was held to a different standard than her male counterparts when she raised her voice or attempted to coach her team.

In addition to the complaints, the lawsuit claimed Wright was “labeled as difficult to work with” when she watered and tended the softball field on her own. Wright complained about the additional duties to former associate athletic director Kristen Brown, who oversaw softball, and asked whether the men’s basketball coach was personally required to fix the floor inside Xfinity Center if he thought the surface was too slippery.

The suit also alleged that the school said two more reasons why Wright was fired was because of players transferring to other programs and assistant coaches leaving the team.

In the lawsuit, Wright insisted she did not have enough resources to be successful. She claimed the softball team was treated differently from men’s athletic teams and did not receive a qualified strength and conditioning coach, a full-time trainer, and a qualified facilities staff.