UNM releases statement on basketball player’s lawsuit against school and head coach

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – We hear from the University of New Mexico for the first time since a Lobo basketball player sued the university and head coach Richard Pitino.

Walk-on player Shane Douma-Sanchez claims a teammate assaulted him and another player on a flight to a tournament and then at a hotel.

KOB 4 attended Pitino’s first press conference Thursday morning since the lawsuit was filed. Even before things began Thursday, a UNM spokesperson said Pitino wasn’t going to address any questions about the lawsuit, but that they would issue a statement.

As for the lawsuit, Douma-Sanchez claims that a teammate harassed him as a walk-on player. According to Douma-Sánchez, the teammate punched him in the face and he re-injured his shoulder. He is suing for damages.

A university spokesperson issued a statement Thursday about the lawsuit, saying they are aware of the filing and that it is under review.

“While it is our practice not to comment on specific details of ongoing legal matters, we want to assure the public that we have robust policies and procedures in place to address any concerns raised by any member of our community.

The university remains committed to its core values ​​of integrity, respect and excellence in all aspects of our operations, including athletics. “We will provide updates as appropriate while respecting the privacy and rights of all individuals involved.”

Pitino didn’t answer questions about the lawsuit Thursday morning, but we did ask the coach what the team’s mentality is like as all of this happens.

“I mean, they’ve been great. They have been focused on the next opponent and this last trip was long, but their mentality has been phenomenal. “They want to win a championship like everyone else in the league,” Pitino said.

As for the lawsuit, Douma-Sanchez’s attorneys say UNM failed to implement safety policies promised for at-risk students like Shane.

The lawsuit also says the UNM coaching staff knew or should have known about the attack on Shane, but did nothing to stop it.

You are suing for personal injury, disfigurement, loss of future income, and other reasons. We don’t know the exact amount, but we do know that his attorneys plan to argue for more than $50,000 once all is said and done.