Ex-CSUN soccer coach says he was fired for exposing alleged wrongdoing

By BILL HETHERMAN

LOS ANGELES — The former California State University Northridge women’s soccer coach is suing the school, alleging he was wrongfully fired in 2022 in retaliation for exposing alleged wrongdoing at the university, including being told to recruit someone whose uncles were likely to be generous school donors.

Keith Andrew West also names the Board of Trustees of the California State University as a defendant in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit, which alleges whistleblower retaliation, discrimination, harassment and breach of contract. West seeks unspecified damages.

A CSUN representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit brought Friday.

West, now 50, was hired as CSUN’s assistant soccer team men’s coach in 2000, and six years later was named head coach of the women’s team, the suit states.

West’s soccer teams were successful on the field, and he played a major role in the development of his student athletes by creating a safe and learning environment for his players, both physically and emotionally, according to the suit.

In 2012, Diane Harrison was hired as CSUN president, and the next year Brandon Martin was named athletic director, the suit states. Martin instructed West to terminate one of his male assistant coaches to make room for a female assistant coach, the suit alleges.

When West inquired why he was not awarded a multi-year contract with CSUN in 2015, Martin replied, “Every year I justify your existence, I am protecting you,” according to the suit.

That same year, Tom Ford, the senior associate athletic director for development, told West, “The president wants a female in your position,” according to the suit, which further states that West felt he had a “target on his back.”

In 2018, former Athletic Director Michael Izzi told West to recruit a certain student athlete, explaining that the person’s uncles were “very well connected” and would be donors, the suit states.

Izzi also told West he wanted the person to have a full ride scholarship, adding, “What’s a $20,000 scholarship for a $50,000 donation?” according to the suit.

When West resisted, Izzi sent the plaintiffs texts stating, “If you don’t get this kid, I’ll fire you,” the suit alleges.

Izzi, unhappy with West’s refusal to cooperate in the athlete’s recruitment, began singling out West and hired a sports psychologist to conduct a survey about West with his own players, the suit states.

“The survey, as explained to West by one of his players, was about West being racist and homophobic,” the suit states.

When West complained about the “scholarship for a donation illegality” to Vice President for Student Affairs William Watkins, the plaintiff was told he should resign if he wasn’t happy, according to the suit.

In early 2020, West filed a complaint about alleged mistreatment of women in the Athletics Department on the part of both the department administrators and Izzi over the preceding 15 years, the suit states.

West also reported to his supervisor that CSUN’s men’s basketball coach, Mark Gottfried, was violating NCAA compliance rules by recruiting players during a mandatory dead period, a time when schools may not reach out to prospective players, the suit states.

West was placed under investigation by CSUN in June 2021 for alleged mistreatment of his players, which left the plaintiff “shocked” because he cared deeply for those on his teams, the suit states.

West was later placed on a paid administrative leave by CSUN while the probe into his treatment of players was done, the suit states.

Prior to a due process hearing, West was denied documents he believed would refute the allegations against him and only the paperwork that CSUN provided were considered by the hearing officer, according to the suit.

West was notified in July 2022 that he would be fired as of December of that year, according to the suit, which further states that his termination was affirmed on appeal.

West continues to suffer lost income as well as humiliation and emotional distress due to his firing, the suit states.