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Six former players for the Indiana University Indianapolis men’s basketball team have sued the IU Board of Trustees and the school’s Indianapolis campus over the alleged physical and mental abuse inflicted on them by the team’s former head coach, Paul Corsaro.
In the lawsuit, the players allege they’ve suffered measurable losses from the experience, including a loss of value of their scholarships, loss of academic and employment positions, physical injury, and emotional harm.
The lawsuit was filed on Monday in Marion Superior Court on behalf of plaintiffs Briggs McClain, Nathan Dudukovich, Ronald Rutland III, Ebenezer Ogoh, Caleb Hannah, and Julian Steinfeld.
It names the Indiana University Board of Trustees and Indiana University Indianapolis as defendants.
The plaintiffs are represented by Daniel Buba, Katrina Ornelas, and Kyle Ring of the law firm Doehrman Buba Ring, based in Carmel, with co-counseling by Rex Elliott and Kimberly Burroughs with Ohio-based firm Cooper Elliott.
Kristyn Wilson, communications specialist for Cooper Elliott, said that attorneys for the case are not providing statements at this time.
A spokesperson for the university’s Indianapolis campus did not immediately respond to The Indiana Lawyer’s request for comment.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs were subject to physical and mental abuse at the hands of Corsaro during their time as players in the 2024-2025 basketball season.
Corsaro was with the team for 13 months before being fired from the job back in May following an investigation by the university into a formal complaint from the families of six players who highlighted their “deep concerns regarding the culture and treatment of student athletes” under Corsaro’s leadership, according to the IndyStar.
In October, Corsaro filed a tort claim against IU, seeking damages related to his firing.
According to Monday’s lawsuit, Corsaro often called the plaintiffs slurs such as “retard” and words describing female genitalia during practices, games and in off-the-court interactions.
McClain said he delayed care for a serious concussion he sustained during practice because he feared further abuse by Corsaro.
When he was eventually checked out by IU Indy staff and informed of his playtime restrictions, Corsaro allegedly denigrated McClain, telling him he was a word for female genitalia because “real men play through concussions.”
Dudukovich said Corsaro once put his hands around his neck to choke him following a missed play during practice, according to court documents.
The plaintiffs cited numerous alleged instances of Corsaro physically and mentally abusing them to the point where some of them became depressed and contemplated suicide.
The former players argue that the team’s assistant coaching staff failed to carry out university-mandated reporting obligations regarding Corsaro’s abuse and claim the university knew or should have known about Corsaro’s conduct but did nothing about it.
The plaintiffs are suing the defendants for negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring, and breach of contract, arguing IU Indy failed to uphold the terms of binding contracts the university issued to players for competing on the team.
They are seeking compensation and punitive damages in the case.
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