Loyola College said yesterday it has reached a settlement of part of a civil suit filed by former Greyhounds lacrosse coach Bill Dirrigl, a suit in which Dirrigl accused the college of breach of contract and defamation after he was fired in December 2005.
In a lawsuit filed in April 2006, Dirrigl said he was seeking $3.5 million in damages, claiming that the school's president, the Rev. Brian Linnane, assistant lacrosse coach Charley Toomey and several Loyola players spread "rampant and harmful rumors" that Dirrigl was using illegal drugs, including at practice on multiple occasions.
On Tuesday, according to court documents reviewed by The Sun, Baltimore judge Michel Pierson responded to a request by Loyola asking for summary judgment, but rejected Dirrigl's claim of defamation, finding in favor of Loyola, Linnane and Toomey.
The rest of the suit was allowed to go forward, but the parties agreed to settle out of court.
"Because the remaining issue in the case concerned a modest contractual matter involving only the college, the college decided to resolve this without the time, expense and inconvenience of a trial," the school said in a statement.
Dirrigl's attorney, Kathryn Miller Goldman, was out of the office yesterday and unavailable to comment. A spokesman for Loyola, when contacted by The Sun, said the school Would not comment further on the case.