Kent: Kent State scored a second victory this week when a Portage County judge ruled that a university in Illinois interfered with its contract with basketball coach Geno Ford.
Judge John Enlow on Wednesday upheld KSU’s motion for summary judgment against the private, independent Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., which hired Ford away from KSU.
“When a university disregards those contracts and knowingly poaches another school’s coach, that university must be held accountable,” Attorney General Mike DeWine said in a media release.
The state represented KSU because it is a tax-supported university.
On July 16, Enlow ruled that Ford, now 38, owes Kent State $1.2 million because he broke his contract.
He joined KSU in April 2008 and in April 2010 signed an extended contract with a base salary of $300,000 that made him the highest-paid basketball coach in the Mid-American Conference.
His contract included a clause that if he or KSU canceled the five-year employment agreement before March 31, 2015, the other party would get the balance of the base salary remaining in Ford’s contract.
Since four years were remaining on Ford’s contract when he left in March 2011 to go to Bradley, KSU should get $1.2 million, Enlow ruled.
KSU also is seeking $1.6 million in damages from Bradley University. A Portage County jury will determine how much Bradley must pay KSU.
KSU spokesman Eric Mansfield said the university had no comment because of the ongoing litigation.
Attorney William Kohlase of Peoria, who represented Bradley, did not return a call seeking comment.
The attorney general’s office appointed the Akron law firm of Roderick Linton Belfance as special counsel to represent Kent State in the cases against Ford and Bradley University.
Carol Biliczk can be reached at cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3729.