Saint Joseph responds to suit

In a response filed Tuesday in federal court, the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut, denied allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination against Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun and assistant Glen Miller, setting up a legal battle with ex-athletic department administrator Jaclyn Piscitelli.

Piscitelli sued the university in October, alleging that Calhoun and Miller directed inappropriate comments toward her, while more broadly creating a “boys club” environment in the Saint Joseph athletic department. She said former AD Bill Cardarelli declined to take action when informed of the coaches’ behavior.

The school wrote in its response that it “did not engage in any discriminatory practices with reckless indifference to (Piscitelli’s) rights.”

According to the response, “(The school) exercised reasonable care to prevent and promptly correct any alleged discriminatory behavior.”

Piscitelli was fired as associate AD in June and replaced by Josh Ingham, the sports information director. In her lawsuit, she says she “was treated less favorably than Ingham” when both worked in the athletic department. She claims that the atmosphere in the department changed in 2018 when Saint Joseph began admitting male students, in part due to the arrival of Calhoun and Miller.

Calhoun, who led UConn to three national titles, and Miller continue to coach the D-III team.