Breaking News: Former Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun’ Head Softball Coach Michael Lotief Announces Lawsuit Against University

Here is the text from a release issued today in advance of a press conference to be held at 3:30 pm CST at the Lafayette Bar Association in Lafayette, Louisiana which will detail the lawsuit former Louisiana Head Softball Coach Michael Lotief will be filing against the school where he coached for 17 years.

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A petition was filed today on behalf of former UL softball coach Michael Lotief, against members of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette’s Administration team, alleging retaliation of Coach Lotief for his reporting of multiple Title IX violations centered around the university’s disparate treatment of female athletes and their athletic programs, as compared to male athletes.

The lawsuit names three members of UL’s Administration, including UL President Dr. Joseph E. Savoie, Athletic Director, Dr. Bryan Maggard and Deputy Director of Athletics,Dr. Jessica Leger.

The list of Title IX infractions include:

• failure to provide monetary support for women’s sports in an equitable fashion compared to men’s sports,
• failure to hire an athletic trainer and physical therapist for women’s softball,
• failure to provide and maintain athletic facilities that are adequate, appropriate and equitable to the facilities provided for men’s sports,
• failure to provide equitable monetary support as compared to the monetary support provided for men’s sports,
• a failure to pay the coach and his staff in an equitable fashion when compared to men’s programs or other women’s softball programs which have achieved similar success,
• a campaign of cruel and personal attacks upon the character of Coach Lotief,
• and the execution of a fraudulent investigation by UL administration in an attempt to justify their dismissal of Lotief.

At the time Coach Lotief was placed on administrative leave for allegedly putting a finger on a University strength coach the University bypassed normal HR protocol and hired a football defensive consultant who had plead guilty to domestic abuse against his wife.

This was a second time hiring this coach with the administration having full knowledge of his domestic violence history. The university paid for the return of this football coach but refused to pay the salaries of three assistant softball coaches sparking concern from Coach Lotief.

Coach Lotief who originally joined the UL Softball staff in 2001, was fired by UL on November 1, 2017, despite a recent $20,000 bonus from UL. The university claimed Lotief was released due to the “violation of university system policies”. Coach Lotief’s entire staff was also dismissed at that time.

Lotief identifies those charges as “false, slanderous and misleading.”

Coach Lotief had enjoyed a hugely successful 17-year stint at UL, during which the UL Softball team won 14 conference championships, eight regional championships and earned three trips to the Women’s College World Series.

He finished his UL career with 729 wins and was named Conference Coach of the Year eight times.

Nine members of the UL softball team have filed complaints with the Education.Gov office of civil rights which allege various Title IX infractions in the areas of race, sex, disability and retaliation.

Coach Lotief continues to wage a daily battle with the effects of extensive radiation of his larynx cancer 30 years ago.

This struggle has resulted in the installation a tracheostomy valve which, while it affects the coach’s speech pattern, does not affect his ability to communicate clearly with his players; neither does Lotief’s need to utilize a stomach tube for nutrition.

In 2016, Coach Lotief was named the recipient of the Donna Newberry Perseverance award.

Timeline – Michael Lotief at UL:

• 1982 While a student at UL, Lotief’s malignant tumor in his nasa-pharynx is diagnosed and over-radiated causing permanent issues.
• 1985 Michael earns BA from UL (cum laude). -1988 Michael earns Juris Doctorate from UL.
• 2001 Michael joins the UL women’s softball program as volunteer coach with his wife Stefni Whittion Lotief.
• 2002 Lotief assumes the role of co-head coach with his wife Stefni
• 2013 Lotief takes over as head coach of ULL Women’s Softball program.
• 2015 Lotief has a feeding tube inserted in his abdomen, but still returns to full time coaching and finishes the season, winning the conference championship.
• August 2015 Lotief has a tracheostomy valve inserted in his throat.
• September 13, 2016 The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named Michael as the 2016 recipient of the Donna Newberry “Perserverance” award.
• Oct 2, 2017 Lotief sent a text to Jessica Clark Leger asking for details on UL’s hiring of James Willis, who was convicted of spousal abuse, as a defensive coordinator for the football team.
• Oct 3, 2017 Lotief sends the inquiry to Athletic Faculty Advisor Dr. Anita Hazelwood.
• October 6, 2017 – Coach Lotief is placed on Administrative leave.
• November 01 2017 – Coach Lotief and his staff, including Assistant coach Chris Malveaux, Video Coordinator Kate Malveaux, and Director of Operations Kelsey Vincent, were terminated.