Marist officials have filed a lawsuit against former coach Matt Brady, now James Madison’s coach, for breach of contract related to the recruitment of former Marist players, according to USA Today’s Brent Foster. In Brady’s contract with Marist, signed in 2007, the university required:
If the contract were terminated for any reason (including going to another school) he would have to turn over all basketball records and files, end all contacts with Marist recruits, not offer a scholarship to current Marist players or any player he or his staff visited or recruited.
Brady left Marist for James Madison in 2008, and the lawsuit alleges that he recruited four Marist players to join him. Three of those players were on James Madison’s roster this past season.
A legal expert said this case is unusual and could be difficult to win for Marist.
Gary Roberts, dean of law at Indiana, said he had never heard of a clause in a contract causing this kind of dispute before, but said such a case lcould set the stage for similar situations.
“It’s possible,” Roberts said. “I think a lot of people will see how this turns out.”
Roberts said it will be hard for Marist to prove its case because the school has suffered no financial loss. Sullivan said the university is seeking monetary damages of “no set amount.”
