Former men's hoops coach Gillispie files suit against UK athletics

Sports Network | May 27, 2009

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - Former Kentucky men's basketball head coach Billy Gillispie filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the university's athletics association on Wednesday.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that the 24-page suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, accuses the association of both breach of contract and fraud for firing Gillispie only two years into a seven-year agreement.

The paper stated that although the 49-year-old Texas native never signed a formal agreement to take the head spot at Kentucky, he considered such to be a binding contract between himself and the school.

Gillispie is looking for $6 million in back pay for "termination without cause" which he says the university owes, or roughly $1.5 million for up to four years as previously agreed upon. He is also asking for a jury trial in Dallas.

Kentucky named Gillispie its 21st head coach on April 6, 2007, signing the former Texas A&M coach to a seven-year deal worth $2.3 million per season. The Wildcats finished the 2008-09 season with a mark of 22-14 and had its string of 17 straight NCAA Tournament appearances snapped. The school reached the quarterfinals of the NIT, beating UNLV and Creighton before a 77-67 loss at Notre Dame on Wednesday.

Gillispie's first season at Kentucky ended with a record of 18-13 and a first- round NCAA Tournament loss to Marquette.

Gillispie has a career record of 140-85 in seven years as a collegiate head coach. He was 30-32 with one NCAA Tournament berth in two years at UTEP and 70-26 with a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons at Texas A&M.

Following Gillispie's firing, the school hired ex-Memphis coach John Calipari to head its basketball program.