The University has settled with former men’s lacrosse coach Mike Pressler over the coach’s claim that a Duke official slandered him.
Individuals on both sides of the settlement declined to comment on its terms Wednesday evening.
“Coach Michael Pressler is an excellent coach. He did a great job building the Duke men’s lacrosse program, while maintaining a 100 percent graduation rate in his 16 years,” Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations wrote in a statement. “Duke wishes nothing but the best for Coach Pressler in his future endeavors, especially at Bryant University and as he leads Team USA in the world lacrosse championships. The University will have no additional comment on this matter.”
John Burness, who was then Duke’s senior vice president of public affairs and government relations and is the University official named in the suit, said he is glad the case has been resolved.
“I’m pleased with it. I was a party to the signing off on that statement, I’m perfectly comfortable with it and I’m glad the decision is behind us,” Burness said.
Pressler, who led Duke’s team to three ACC Championships and two NCAA Final Fours, was asked to resign from the University in early April 2006 when his team’s season was canceled at the height of the lacrosse case.
The University initially reached a financial settlement with Pressler in March 2007. That settlement included a payment of an undisclosed amount to Pressler and specified how both sides should comment on the agreement.
“Duke and Pressler agree that neither they nor their agents, principals or representatives will make disparaging or defamatory comments regarding the other party...,” the settlement read, according to a copy included in Pressler’s suit.
Following the settlement, Burness made comments about Pressler in the media that the coach said were defamatory.
In today’s statement, the University appeared to apologize for Burness’s remarks, which were made to Newsday and the Associated Press.
“Duke University regrets any adverse consequences that the Newsday or [The Associated Press] article had on Coach Pressler or his family,” the statement said.
The comments led Pressler in October 2007 to claim that Duke violated the terms of his separation agreement. In January 2008, Pressler modified his claim to state that Burness’s comments were slanderous.
Lawyers for Duke argued that Pressler’s dispute with the University should be subject to arbitration, not heard in court, but a Durham Superior Court judge rejected that claim.
It is unclear why Pressler’s suit ended in a settlement. Jay Trehy, one of Pressler’s lawyers, declined to comment on the settlement. Pressler could not be reached for comment.
In a Wednesday interview, Schoenfeld said, “the statement represents the sum total of our comment on this matter.”
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