Lawsuits Pile Up In Wake Of Gobrecht’s Departure

The Board of Regents gave its approval Friday to let Florida State sue Southern Cal for hiring away the Seminoles’ women’s basketball coach.

Florida State, whose president Sandy D’Alemberte is a former president of the American Bar Association, claims Southern Cal officials knew Chris Gobrecht had honored only one year of a 5-year deal that included a buyout provision.

The school filed suit Thursday against Gobrecht, seeking $380,000 plus damages. The $380,000 amounts to the four remaining years of salary that Gobrecht was to have received.

Gobrecht, who was Hart’s first major hire at Florida State, filed suit last week against Florida State, alleging the school violated Title IX and equal pay laws.

In its suit, Florida State seeks to reclaim a $20,000 payment made to Gobrecht for her to give to her former employer at the University of Washington at the time she took the Florida State job in the spring of 1996.

The school also wants to recoup expenses incurred to recruit and hire Gobrecht’s successor, compensation for damages to the school’s reputation and reduced donations to the athletic department.