HOUSTON – Another lawsuit has now been filed against Houston Christian University involving allegations of sexual misconduct by former track coach Sesar Figueroa, according to court documents.
Figueroa was the former associate head track coach and recruitment coordinator for HCU.
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A lawsuit filed against the university by attorney Tony Buzbee accuses Figueroa of a pattern of preying on female athletes; offering them employment and prime competitive opportunities in exchange for sexual favors.
The lawsuit alleges that “Figueroa -- already married to a former HCU student -- was “particularly fond of young girls.” The lawsuit reads, “He preyed upon (the athletes) when they were most vulnerable. Some had difficult childhoods and looked to sports as a way up. He took advantage of that, and of them.”
The lawsuit further alleges the school did not do anything about Figueroa’s preferential treatment of the female athletes.
The lawsuits state HCU continues to tout Figueroa’s 27 individual conference champions, 19 silver medalists and 24 bronze medal finishes” on its website. The school, the lawsuit claims, was “well aware” of Figueroa’s lack of boundaries and “fondness for particular female (and only female) athletes.”
According to the lawsuit filed Monday, Figueroa “physically and mentally assaulted and degraded” a woman referred to in court document as Jane Doe. Court documents read Figueroa started “grooming” Jane Doe as early as her freshman year in college.
In a previously filed lawsuit, Buzbee said Figueroa became aggressive with Jane Doe #2 when she rebuffed his advances. Buzbee said Jane Doe #2 filed a criminal complaint against Figueroa, which led to his termination from the university. However, Figueroa has not been charged with any crime.
According to Buzbee, this is the third woman to accuse Figueroa and the university of misconduct.
In a statement from HCU, officials said they are taking the reports seriously and are cooperating with the investigation.
“This is pending litigation and we remain troubled by any and all allegations of misconduct by a University employee. We take all reports of sexual misconduct seriously and have dedicated significant time and resources to ensuring the safety of students on our campus and under our care. When the University was made aware of allegations of misconduct related to these lawsuits, we took appropriate action to respond to these allegations by contacting and cooperating with law enforcement and terminating an assistant track coach. In the situations identified in these lawsuits, the University acted lawfully and in good faith, and we expect a court to agree.”