Dec. 17--A judge on Wednesday dismissed former Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas and women's soccer coach Janet Rayfield as defendants in a former soccer player's lawsuit that accused the school of mistreating her concussions.
Casey Conine's lawsuit, filed in June in Champaign County, alleged that medical and training staff should not have allowed her to play after she sustained a concussion. She was medically disqualified in December 2014.
"The university is satisfied that the Court found in favor of large portions of its motion to dismiss, including ruling that there was no basis for claims against former Director of Athletics Mike Thomas and Coach Janet Rayfield," the school said in a statement. "We are confident that our sports medicine personnel, practices and policies currently provide a high level of care and support for student-athletes."
The suit remains pending against other university employees.
Said Conine's attorney, Joseph Siprut: "We are very pleased that the case will now be progressing and plan to move it forward as aggressively as possible."
jahopkins@tribpub.com
