Keller and Jennings filed their lawsuit Aug. 25, 1998, charging that Dorrance used his position to make uninvited sexual advances toward Keller and encouraged Jennings, who was underage, to consume alcohol. They are seeking $1 million apiece in damages, along with $10 million in punitive damages.
Dorrance denied the allegations, and the University filed a motion to dismiss on June 9, 1999. The court has yet to make a ruling on that motion, despite the fact that the plaintiffs' attorneys sent a letter to the court in February of this year asking for a prompt decision. Proceedings cannot continue until the court decides whether or not to dismiss the case.
"Every time we call down there, they say the judge has the file in chambers," DeFalco said. "Certainly the lawsuit has affected both Debbie and Melissa's lives. The fact the court is delaying the ruling means they don't have the opportunity to say, `This is what Anson did.'"
Keller, voted the national player of the year in 1995 and 1996, alleges that Dorrance tried to coerce her into meeting with him in a secluded area and made uninvited sexual advances in October 1996 and in 1998. She claims Dorrance made inappropriate and uninvited physical contact with her in November and December of 1996, including touching her head and stroking her hair.
The lawsuit also claims that Dorrance, who is married and has three children, used his position to intimidate team members into reporting the sexual activities of their teammates. He is alleged to have pried into his players' personal lives, including questioning them about their sexual activity.
Jennings, a reserve goalkeeper who was dismissed from the team after two seasons, claims that Dorrance arranged for team members to bring her to bars on her recruiting trip and reimbursed them for alcohol bought during Jennings' initial visit. She also alleges that Dorrance forced her to withdraw $400 from her bank account to purchase supplies for her teammates and the opposition before a game against Clemson.
UNC Director of Athletics Dick Baddour said in August 1998 that the "loan" was made in an emergency situation around the time of Hurricane Fran in order for supplies and beverages to be bought before the game. He added that Jennings later was reimbursed.
Keller and Jennings have since graduated from UNC. Keller is scheduled to get married on Sept. 1 and is currently working as a hair stylist.
Her mother, Judy Keller, said her daughter wasn't invited to the tryouts for the inaugural season of the WUSA, the new women's national soccer league.
"She can't play soccer while the lawsuit is going on," Judy Keller said. "They won't have a thing to do with her."
Judy Keller said her daughter is thinking about going back to school and has been keeping in shape. Last year, Keller competed in the Chicago Marathon.
Jennings is a graduate student at Aurora University in Illinois. She is acquiring a certificate needed to teach in the state of Illinois.
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Craig Jennings, Melissa's father, is confused and frustrated with the slow-developing case.
"It's unbelievable that something can sit like that," he said. "(The plaintiffs' attorneys are) not getting anything from either side."
Dorrance, Keller and Jennings all must wait until the court decides on the motion to dismiss before they know in which direction the case will head.
"It's a huge thing and it made a big splash," Judy Keller said. "Now it's quiet."
The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.
