Bodnar is seeking for $5 million in damages
CHENEY – Former women’s soccer coach Chad Bodnar is suing Eastern Washington University for $5 million for alleged discrimination against the female athletics program.
A 29-page complaint filed last summer with the Washington State Human Rights Commission alleges Bodnar faced discrimination after continuous “efforts to report sex discrimination pursuant to Title IX.”
The alleged discrimination comes in the form of resources allotted to the male sports program versus the woman’s sports program.
“This pattern and practice of discrimination against EWU’s female athletes was manifested in the unequal hiring practices, budgets, athlete care, training and safety resources provided to EWU’s female athletes as compared to its male athletes,” Bodnar’s claim alleges.
Bodnar’s claim also covers the potential discrimination he allegedly faced from Eastern Washington University Athletic Director Lynn Hickey.
That alleged discrimination came about after Bodnar reported the athletics program sexually discrimination against his women’s soccer team.
The complaint alleges that in the months leading up to Bodnar’s termination, Hickey gave favorable scheduling and access to the program’s weightlifting facilities.
The claim says that Hickey was undeterred from Bodnar’s complaints and retaliated with persuasive bullying and the help of football Coach Aaron Best.
This was to deter any other coaches from rallying to Bodnar’s cause, according to the complaint.
Bodnar claims he’s suffered emotional distress, pain and suffering as a result of his unlawful termination with Eastern Washington and is owed back and front pay.
Bodnar’s lawsuit is being handled by attorney Alexandria Drake of Spokane-based law firm of Dunn & Black.
Drake is handling a similar $5 million lawsuit from former Eastern Washington University women’s basketball Coach Wendy Schuller, who is also suing for wrongful termination.
That lawsuit was filed June 18.
Records show Schuller’s complaint covers similar topics and claims that since Hickey was hired in 2018, there has been an overtly prioritization of athletic resources for male programs over woman programs.
Schuller’s complaint makes additional claims of age and gender discrimination, as well as alleging Hickey disregarded multiple allegations against Eastern football players for domestic violence and failed to follow Title IX reporting rules.
The suit contends that Hickey wanted to meet with Schuller on March 17 to provide a performance review, but postponed the meeting until March 31.
Schuller met with Hickey on March 31 only to be handed her termination letter, records show.
Hickey fired both Bodnar and Schuller earlier this year in less than two months – Schuller was terminated March 31 and Bodnar on May 13.
At the time of his termination, Hickey released a statement fairly standard of the university:
“We appreciate Coach Bodnar and his years of service. Chad established EWU women’s soccer as a consistent competitor in the Big Sky Conference and we look forward to continuing that level of competitiveness with new leadership for our program.”
Bodnar was hired away from Walla Walla Community College in 2014 and is the winningest coach in the Eastern’s woman soccer program history.
In seven seasons, he finished with a record of 73-44-15 and two NCAA tournament appearances.
His replacement finished with a 5-12 record the following season.
Reader Comments(0)