Jim Huffman

A jury awarded $1.35 million Tuesday to a former Cal State Fullerton coach who said he was unfairly fired after he fought and blocked the school's effort to kill the women's volleyball program in 1992. The university contended it acted properly when it fired Jim Huffman. But he argued that it was retaliation for his sex-discrimination lawsuit in 1992 that saved women's volleyball, forced changes in the school's athletic policies and embarrassed the school.

Former hockey official Alan Eagleson is wanted in the United States to face fraud, racketeering and embezzlement charges. Paul Kelly, U.S. district attorney, said a request to extradite the former executive director of the NHL Players Assn. and Hockey Canada's international negotiator from Toronto will be filed within 60 days. Additional charges also may be added to the 32-count indictment handed up by a grand jury on March 3.

Assistant Sherry Ringer became interim coach of Cal Sate Fullerton's women's volleyball team a day after Jim Huffman was fired.

The 2 1/2-year legal battle between former Cal State Fullerton volleyball Coach Jim Huffman and the Cal State University system ended Tuesday when attorneys reached an out-of-court settlement of the coach's wrongful-termination case. The CSU system has agreed to pay Huffman $1.35 million and an additional $300,000 in attorney fees--the exact amounts a Superior Court jury and judge ordered the system to pay Huffman last winter. In exchange for dropping its appeal of the Feb.

Jim Huffman, former women's volleyball coach at Cal State Fullerton, filed a $1.2-million wrongful-termination suit against the school, alleging it fired him for reporting sex discrimination in its athletic programs. Huffman, 33, claimed that Fullerton's attempt last year to drop its women's volleyball program because of budget cuts amounted to discrimination against women's athletics.

The California State University system Tuesday was ordered to pay $300,000 in attorneys fees to representatives of former Cal State Fullerton volleyball Coach Jim Huffman, who in February won a $1.35 million judgment in his wrongful termination suit against the school. Superior Court Judge Ronald L. Bauer also denied a CSU attorney's motions for a new trial and to have the $1.35 million award reduced.

Jim Huffman's two-year legal battle with Cal State Fullerton paid off Tuesday when an Orange County Superior Court jury awarded $1.35 million to the former Titan women's volleyball coach in his wrongful-termination suit against the university. Huffman's teams were 25-80 during his three years as Fullerton coach in 1989-91, but he improved to 2-0 in lawsuits against the school.

The bell for Round 2 of the legal fight between Jim Huffman and Cal State Fullerton will ring Monday when Huffman, the former Titan women's volleyball coach, files a $1.2-million wrongful termination suit against the school in Orange County Superior Court, Huffman's attorney said. Huffman was fired March 23, one working day after a judge signed a preliminary injunction blocking the school's attempt to drop women's volleyball.

The 2 1/2-year legal battle between former Cal State Fullerton volleyball Coach Jim Huffman and the Cal State University system ended Tuesday when attorneys reached an out-of-court settlement of the coach's wrongful-termination case. The CSU system has agreed to pay Huffman $1.35 million and an additional $300,000 in attorney fees--the exact amounts a Superior Court jury and judge ordered the system to pay Huffman last winter. In exchange for dropping its appeal of the Feb.

Bill Shumard can never say he wasn't warned. Three years ago, he sat in a booth at Julie's restaurant across the street from USC, days after accepting the suicide mission of athletic director at Cal State Fullerton, joking about how the men's group at his parish had offered to pray for him. That was a good one, he said. Funny stuff. So the list of headaches awaiting him could wallpaper Titan Gym inside and out. Shumard shrugged. Those headaches were not unique to Fullerton, Shumard insisted.

The California State University system Tuesday was ordered to pay $300,000 in attorneys fees to representatives of former Cal State Fullerton volleyball Coach Jim Huffman, who in February won a $1.35 million judgment in his wrongful termination suit against the school. Superior Court Judge Ronald L. Bauer also denied a CSU attorney's motions for a new trial and to have the $1.35 million award reduced.

Lack of a paper trail leading to the decision to fire Jim Huffman, and unconvincing testimony from some defense witnesses proved most costly to Cal State Fullerton, according to jurors who awarded the former Titan volleyball coach $1.35 million in damages Tuesday.

Jim Huffman's two-year legal battle with Cal State Fullerton paid off Tuesday when an Orange County Superior Court jury awarded $1.35 million to the former Titan women's volleyball coach in his wrongful-termination suit against the university. Huffman's teams were 25-80 during his three years as Fullerton coach in 1989-91, but he improved to 2-0 in lawsuits against the school.

A jury awarded $1.35 million Tuesday to a former Cal State Fullerton coach who said he was unfairly fired after he fought and blocked the school's effort to kill the women's volleyball program in 1992. The university contended it acted properly when it fired Jim Huffman. But he argued that it was retaliation for his sex-discrimination lawsuit in 1992 that saved women's volleyball, forced changes in the school's athletic policies and embarrassed the school.

Cal State Fullerton President Milton Gordon testified Tuesday that a recommendation to fire Jim Huffman as women's volleyball coach was made several weeks before Huffman filed a lawsuit that blocked the school's attempt to drop the sport. "I couldn't pinpoint a specific meeting with (Titan Athletic Director) Bill Shumard, but he made the recommendation that the coach not be renewed based on performance," Gordon said during Huffman's wrongful-termination trial in Orange County Superior Court.

Cal State Fullerton President Milton Gordon testified Tuesday that a recommendation to fire Jim Huffman as women's volleyball coach was made several weeks before Huffman filed a lawsuit that blocked the school's attempt to drop the sport. "I couldn't pinpoint a specific meeting with (Titan Athletic Director) Bill Shumard, but he made the recommendation that the coach not be renewed based on performance," Gordon said during Huffman's wrongful-termination trial in Orange County Superior Court.

There are a couple of ways of looking at Jim Huffman's job. Is it a) all but impossible to succeed or b) nearly impossible to fail? Huffman is in his first year as coach of the Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball team, a team that hasn't won a conference match in nearly two years. Pressure? Huffman thinks not. "I think it's great," Huffman said. "I can't lose." The thinking is that if the streak doesn't end, it's only status quo. And if it ends even with only one victory, it's progress.

A former Cal State Fullerton athletic official Thursday disputed key university testimony in the wrongful-termination trial of former Titan volleyball Coach Jim Huffman. Steve DiTolla, former associate athletic director, testified that Athletic Director Bill Shumard said during a Dec. 10, 1991, meeting that "while we have concerns, we are going to renew (Huffman's) contract."

Lynn Rogers, Titan gymnastics coach, said the trial involving former women's volleyball Coach Jim Huffman, who filed a $1.2-million wrongful termination suit against the school, has put "a negative cloud over the university." It has been more like a cumulonimbus cloud, delivering occasional thunder and lightning to the courtroom and a steady drizzle over the athletic department. "Things are very, very tense around here," one athletic department employee said.