Judge Rules McCarthy Contract Valid

A judge in Las Cruces, N.M., has ruled that the 1996 contract between former New Mexico State coach Neil McCarthy and former university president J. Michael Orenduff was valid.

The ruling came Tuesday after McCarthy lawyer Joleen Youngers argued that Orenduff had authority to sign university contracts.

“The argument that Orenduff had the authority was the regents’ own written policy,” Youngers said.

Younger and co-counsel Maureen Sanders expressed satisfaction with the ruling.

“That will be the contract we will be dealing with at the jury trial,” Sanders said.

However, state District Judge Robert Robles dismissed several other McCarthy claims and some of the university’s counterclaims.

“So the issues have been narrowed for both sides,” Youngers said.

Said university lawyer Clifford Atkinson: “We think the trial will be somewhat shortened and simplified as a result of the rulings.”

University figures show New Mexico State has paid more than $916,000 in private attorney fees to fight McCarthy’s effort to enforce his contract. Las Cruces businessman Stan Hanssen, a longtime Aggie booster and McCarthy supporter, obtained the information under the Freedom of Information Act.

However, Hanssen said he couldn’t find out how much additional has been paid in legal fees by the state risk-management pool.

The disputed contract is at the core of the civil lawsuit brought by McCarthy in October 1997.

The school declared the contract invalid after Orenduff’s ouster as president, and McCarthy was removed as Aggie coach and reassigned to an assistant athletic director job days later. He remained out on sick leave for most of 1997-98 and was terminated by New Mexico State regents last August.

WOMEN’S ROUNDUP / Old Dominion Rolls in Conference Opener

Mery Andrade scored 20 points Wednesday night to help 13th-ranked Old Dominion open defense of its Colonial Athletic Assn. championship with a 104-60 victory over North Carolina Wilmington at Wilmington, N.C.

It is the most points the Seahawks (5-6) have given up since a 104-57 loss to East Carolina in 1989.

Andrade also grabbed six rebounds and had six assists for Old Dominion. Lucienne Berthieu added 18 points.

Chandra Watkins had 16 points for the Seahawks (5-6).

Old Dominion (7-2) built a 27-17 lead in the first 10 minutes and had a 51-33 halftime advantage after making 60% of its shots. The Monarchs made 56.2% overall.

North Carolina Wilmington turned the ball over 34 times and made only 39% of its shots.