UC Irvine Named in Wrongful Death Suit : Jurisprudence: Parents of soccer player who died while training allege the university and coach were ‘negligent and careless.’

The parents of Terrie Cate, the UC Irvine soccer player who died last August after collapsing during a preseason training run, Wednesday filed a wrongful death suit against the university.

The suit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, alleges the primary defendants--the Regents of the University of California, UC Irvine and UCI women’s soccer Coach Ray Smith--were “negligent and careless,” which directly contributed to Cate’s death by heatstroke.

Cate, an incoming freshman from Escondido San Pasqual High, collapsed with about a mile remaining in a six-mile run on the first day of practice Aug. 19. Teammates ran the final mile of the course to reach Smith, assistant coach Keri Bello and trainer Erica Angel. After reaching the fallen runner, Bello ran across the street and dialed 911.

Cate was taken by ambulance to Irvine Medical Center, where she was in critical condition until she died three days later.

The run, meant to certify players’ fitness before further drills, had been delayed two hours to 6 p.m. because of temperatures that reached into the 90s.

James Ahler, who is representing Shirley and Webb Cate, Terrie’s parents, said the defendants were negligent because players weren’t warned about the symptoms or complications of heat illness, there were no spotters on the course and first aid and medical attention were not immediately available. Water was not available, Ahler said.

“They didn’t tell her what to watch out for and they didn’t have anyone out there to look out for her or her teammates,” Ahler said.

Furthermore, Ahler said, during the first 30 minutes of the run, one of Cate’s teammates collapsed and lost consciousness, which should have been a sign that other runners were also at risk.

The suit asks for unspecified damages to cover medical, burial and funeral expenses and further damages for the emotional trauma the Cates suffered because of the loss of their daughter.

Smith and university officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.