Former head Auburn baseball coach Sunny Golloway filed a complaint yesterday, May 24, against The Board of Trustees of Auburn University.
Jay Jacobs, director of athletics; David Benedict, chief operating officer; Rich McGlynn, senior associate athletics director; Scott Duval, former director of baseball operations; and Jeremy Roberts, baseball administrator, are named in the lawsuit.
Golloway was dismissed as head baseball coach in September with cause by Athletics Director Jay Jacobs. By firing Golloway with cause, Auburn does not have to pay him the $1.25 million that remained on the final two years of his contract, which paid $625,000 annually.
Golloway is suing for breach of written contract, defamation, fraud and tortious interference, according to the complaint.
The University responded to the allegations with a statement:
"
"Coach Gollaway knowingly and repeatedly broke Auburn and NCAA rules, including an attempt to destroy evidence of his violations," the statement reads. "We appreciated his coaching skills, but his actions left us no choice but to dismiss him from his position. He now seems to be using legal action in an attempt to divert attention away from his own misconduct."
Each count against the defendants is listed as follows:
Count One: Breach of Written Contract: Defendant Board
Count Two: Breach of Contract - Permanent Employment: Defendant Board
Count Three: Defamation: Defendant Jay Jacobs
Count Four: Fraud (Defendant Board, Jay Jacobs)
Count Five: Tortious Interference: David Benedict, Rich McGlynn, Scott Duval and Jeremy Roberts
"This is the lawsuit that proves the maxim that no good deed go unpunished. Sunny Golloway, a class act and a winning coach, was hired by Auburn University to turn around its struggling baseball program," the complaint states. "He did that, took them to NCAA post-season play for the first time in five years, had a top ten recruiting class, but because he got sideways with an intrenched bureaucrat in the Athletics Department, charges were trumped up against him and he was shown the door."
"In a nutshell, Sunny Golloway deserves compensation, and restoration of his good name," the complaint states.
The complaint continues with a detailed list of accusations against the defendants, as well as current head coach Butch Thompson, accusing the newly hired coach of having "a history of abusing his players" this season. Golloway claims baseball's new skipper of verbally abused players, specifically using profanities against starting pitcher Cole Lipscomb and first baseman Niko Buentello.
Golloway is demanding that trial be held outside Alabama, as Auburn University "is a state supported educational institution and is located within this judicial district and division."
This is a developing story. Details to come.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
