Judge refuses to throw out Neuheisel’s UW lawsuit

SEATTLE – A judge refused to dismiss a suit filed by former Washington coach Rick Neuheisel against the university and said he will rule Friday on a similar dismissal motion by the NCAA.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages for Neuheisel’s dismissal in June 2003 after he was accused of dishonesty and violation of NCAA gambling rules, is scheduled to go to trial Jan. 24.

A motion by the university to dismiss the wrongful termination lawsuit was rejected Monday by King County Superior Court Judge Michael S. Spearman.

“We’re pleased it’s going to trial against the university,” said Neuheisel’s lawyer, Robert M. Sulkin. “I think Rick is looking forward to giving his side of this.”

Neuheisel was fired with five years remaining on a six-year contract that paid about $1.2 million a year. Also at issue is a $1.5 million loan he received with the contract, which stipulated it would be forgiven if he stayed at Washington through Jan. 1, 2008.

“It’s not surprising that in a very public case like this, the judge would deny a motion for summary judgment and order the case to trial,” said Louis D. Peterson, the university’s lawyer. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to present our case to the jury.”

In four seasons with the Huskies, Neuheisel compiled a 33-16 record, including a Rose Bowl victory in 2001 and No. 3 national ranking.

He was fired in June 2003 by then-athletic director Barbara Hedges, who said he lied to her when he denied interviewing for a job with the San Francisco 49ers, then lied again the same day when he insisted he had never participated in gambling pools, although he had won $11,219 in the previous two NCAA men’s basketball tournaments.

Neuheisel denied deliberately violating NCAA rules, citing a memorandum from the school’s compliance officer at the time that said participation in some gambling pools was permissible.

Last October the NCAA cleared him of wrongdoing related to gambling but reprimanded the university for failing to monitor the football program.