Madison Lindamood, a graduate assistant coach for Ohio Dominican's football program, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the private institution of mishandling her report of a physical assault by a male student-athlete she supervised and subjecting her to retaliation that led to her removal from the program. The complaint, filed this month, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, also alleges violations of wage-and-hour laws.
According to the complaint, Lindamood was appointed as a Graduate Assistant for Football under a written offer letter for the period August 18, 2025, through May 31, 2026. The letter described a part-time role of 20 hours per week with a $5,000 stipend reporting to Head Coach Kelly Cummings.
In practice, she alleges she performed full-time duties—including early-morning staff and film meetings, on-field coaching, practice preparation/teardown, recruiting, administrative/compliance work, equipment and operations, and late-evening film breakdown and play labeling on Hudl. Lindamood routinely worked "approximately 119 hours per week" during the season and 100 hours per week in the offseason. ODU kept no records of her actual hours, and the stipend yielded an effective hourly rate far below Ohio’s minimum wage.
On March 6, 2026, while performing duties at an ODU-sponsored fundraising event, Lindamood alleges she was physically assaulted by a player.
The player reportedly approached her aggressively, made physical contact with her body, ripped her bag from her person (physically pulling her), and searched her belongings without consent. The incident was reportedly witnessed by at least one other graduate assistant. The player reportedly emailed her the same evening acknowledging that he had taken the bag.
Days later, Lindamood states she discovered and photographed bruising on the back of her neck consistent with the contact.
Lindamood reported the assault to Coach Cummings the same day. Lindamood states he provided no meaningful follow-up, per the complaint.
On March 9, she reported it to Title IX Coordinator and Dean of Students Amy Thomas. Thomas directed Cummings to investigate.
Lindamood believes Cummings minimized the incident during meetings with her, stating that his personal definition of assault required blood or severe bruising, asking what she could have done differently. An assistant coach (with no involvement in the incident) was present, and Lindamood states she felt intimidated being questioned by two male members of the coaching staff.
Lindamood and her mother wrote to President Shonna Riedlinger on March 11–12, reporting the unauthorized investigation and procedural concerns and requesting assurance against retaliation. The president’s office responded in writing, assuring that persons raising concerns would not experience retaliation.
On April 13, Thomas issued a one-paragraph letter stating the complaint did not meet the Title IX sexual harassment threshold and would be transferred to the Student Code of Conduct process, providing no rationale or appeal rights. The matter was routed to the Department of Public Safety. Lindamood was never informed of the outcome. Gordon was purportedly suspended but permitted to attend team practices and conditioning activities, repeatedly placing Lindamood in proximity to him. She reported this in writing on March 26 and received no meaningful response.
Lindamood alleges a pattern of retaliation after she reported the incident. She was removed from the team GroupMe and cut off from communications; relocated from on-field coaching to the press box. Lindamood alleges what she calls a public berating when an assistant coach interrupted a team meeting to tell her to get off of her phone. She further claims the head coach told her to leave one meeting with a group of coaches. She states she came to fear for her safety, leading to her requesting public safety escorts on campus on multiple occasions.
On April 22, Lindamood’s mother submitted a formal written retaliation and workload complaint to HR and the Dean of Students. The same day, the head coach called Lindamood and left her a voicemail telling her not to report to work.
In an April 24 meeting with the Dean of Students, Thomas stated she agreed Lindamood should not return to work. She has not been permitted back since.
The complaint asserts claims under Title VII (hostile work environment based on sex and retaliation), Title IX (retaliation and deliberate indifference to sexual harassment), corresponding Ohio law, the Fair Labor Standards Act (unpaid overtime and minimum wages), Ohio wage-and-hour law, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false light invasion of privacy. Lindamood seeks compensatory, punitive, and liquidated damages; back/front pay; injunctive relief (including reinstatement); and attorneys’ fees.
ODU has declined comment on pending litigation. As with any Complaint, this is one side of the story.