Stanley’s Request Denied : USC: Judge rejects argument by women’s basketball coach that she remain on job pending outcome of lawsuit.

A federal judge appeared to pave the way for USC to hire a new women’s basketball coach Thursday when he rejected arguments that last season’s coach, Marianne Stanley, should be reinstated.

The ramifications of the decision will not be clear until Judge John G. Davies of U.S. District Court in Los Angeles issues an order today detailing the reasons why he denied Stanley’s request to remain at USC. The court notified attorneys of the decision to deny Stanley a preliminary injunction without an explanation.

Bob Lane, USC’s acting general counsel, said the school can search for a new coach pending Davies’ orders.

The ruling came three weeks after Stanley filed an $8-million civil suit against USC and Athletic Director Mike Garrett charging sexual discrimination during contract negotiations.

Stanley, who was hired in 1989 and helped turn around the Trojan program, was temporarily reinstated with a 39% pay increase by a Superior Court judge three weeks ago.

But Davies, who presided over the Rodney King federal case this year, rejected Stanley’s argument that she would suffer irreparable harm if she could not remain at USC until the outcome of her civil case, which may not go to trial for a year.

Garrett was pleased with the judge’s decision.

“We can now hire a coach,” he said. “I’ve got two people in mind. We need someone who understands SC. We’ve got to get somebody in here in about a week.”

Stanley filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging she was promised a lucrative multiyear contract if she reversed the program’s fortunes.

Stanley, whose team was 22-7 last season and finished second to Stanford in the Pacific 10 Conference, was the fourth-highest paid coach in the league, according to documents filed with the suit.

Stanley made $68,933 last season, but last April was offered a multiyear package of $80,000 the first year, $90,000 the second and $100,000 the third. The package also included a $6,000 housing allowance each year. In addition, USC offered to increase the salary of her assistant, Barbara Thaxon, from $37,000 to $50,000.

Stanley labeled the offer “an insult,” USC attorney Al Latham told the court Thursday, and rejected it twice. Stanley said she wanted to be paid the same as the USC men’s basketball coach, George Raveling, citing equal pay for equal work provisions in state and federal laws. Raveling is believed to make $150,000 a year, not including shoe company contracts and other special deals.

Last June, USC offered Stanley a one-year deal worth $96,000, which she rejected.

Bell argued at the hearing that Stanley and Raveling have the same duties and responsibilities and should be paid equally.

The judge told Bell there was no specific evidence to support that position, but agreed to review Raveling’s contract before making a decision.

His ruling appears to have left the Trojans without a coach, and Lisa Leslie, USC’s 6-foot-5 senior captain, said the team will struggle as a result.

Leslie said it will be difficult to play for a new coach, but she will not transfer.

As for the impact of the ruling on the team as a whole, she said: “It (will) be overwhelming to the freshmen.”

Staff writer Earl Gustkey contributed to this story.