On Monday former Central Michigan University men’s basketball player Damarion Bonds filed a lawsuit against CMU in the United State District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Then, on Thursday afternoon, Central Michigan University Athletic Director Amy Folan announced the firing of fourth-year head men’s basketball coach Tony Barbee. CMU also opened a national search for a new head men’s basketball coach on Thursday.

“At this time, I have determined that we need to go in a different direction with the leadership of our men’s basketball program,” Folan said in a press release. “I want to thank Tony for his dedication and service during his last four years in Mount Pleasant. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

“I am confident that we will attract a high-caliber candidate pool during our head coaching search. This is a tremendous opportunity, and we know that our community will rally behind our next Chippewa men’s basketball coach.”

In his four years at the helm Barbee compiled an overall record of 49-75 and a Mid-American Conference record of 30-42. One season ago Barbee led the Chippewas to a solid season as they went 18-14 overall and advanced to the MAC Tournament via a fourth-place finish in the MAC. However, this season, the Chippewas struggled as they went 14-17 overall and finished ninth in the MAC with a 7-11 record, missing out on qualifying for the MAC Tournament.

Barbee’s departure was half-expected as the rumor mill has been heating up since the season ended on March 7. Three CMU players also entered the transfer portal in recent weeks in junior shooting guard Kyler Vanderjagt, senior forward Jakobi Heady and sophomore power forward Bryan Ndjonga.

Historically speaking CMU has proven to be a tough place to coach men’s basketball dating back to the late 1970s as the Chippewas have had only nine winning seasons in the last 45 years. CMU last made the NCAA Tournament field back in 2003.

As for the lawsuit, Bonds is seeking a jury trial and is being represented by Hammoud, Dakhlallah and Associates and the Salem Law Firm. The defendants in the lawsuit are Central Michigan University, Rochester University, Scott E. Samuels, Thomas H. Idema Jr. and Mary Martinez.

The lawsuit alleges Bonds’ due process rights were violated under the Fourteenth Amendment and additional state law violations under the Michigan Compiled Laws.

Samuels was the Vice President of Student Life, Admissions and Marketing and the Title IX Coordinator at Rochester University when Bonds played basketball there as a scholarship student-athlete a couple years back.

Idema Jr. is the Director of Student Conduct at CMU while Martinez is the Title IX Coordinator and Assistant to the President for the Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity (OCRIE) at CMU.

After graduating from Waterford Mott High School in 2022 Bonds attended Rochester University on an athletic scholarship in 2022-23. From there he transferred to Henry Ford College in 2023 before transferring to CMU in 2024. He played in 21 games for the Chippewas this winter and averaged 6.6 in points per game along with 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

The complaint alleges Bonds’ dismissal has caused him irreparable harm and has jeopardized his ability to complete his undergraduate academic courses for 2024-25, resulting in his failure to meet his percentage to degree as required by the NCAA. The complaint alleges his dismissal also further jeopardizes his ability to transfer to another Division I basketball program as a student-athlete.

The plaintiff is requesting the court to enter a judgement in his favor against all the defendants with relief that includes: An injunction that halts the dismissal of Bonds from CMU and his reinstatement as a student and athlete at CMU; an injunction from the court further prohibiting CMU from assessing any other fines, penalties or sanctions against Bonds; a ruling that Bonds’ due process rights were violated; an award of interest, costs and reasonable attorney’s fees and any further equitable relief that is reasonable, necessary and appropriate.

Bonds was dismissed in early-February after CMU’s Office of Student Conduct charged him with violating its Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Disciplinary Procedures by providing a false response to a transfer application question. In mid-October OCRIE was informed by CMU athletics that Bonds had not completed the Previous Institution Verification Form (PIVF) for Rochester and Henry Ford.

In his PIVF Bonds responded ‘no’ to question two which stated: “Is this student currently subject to any Title IX or sexual misconduct investigation or grievance process that has not yet been completed?”

Rochester University responded to the same question with a ‘yes’ on its PIVF, stating that Bonds was the subject of a Title IX investigation that was not completed because he left the Rochester University men’s basketball program mid-investigation.

While at Rochester University in 2022 Bonds was cited for a violation of the Student Code of Conduct as he was found in a residence hall with a member of the opposite sex. The complaint said unfounded complaints about Bonds were allegedly made to Rochester officials. Rochester University men’s basketball coach also spoke with CMU’s Martinez and told her Bonds had been dismissed from the Rochester team and was not eligible to return to Rochester as a student-athlete.

The lawsuit says, “to date, all such complaints were unsubstantiated and resulted in no further citation, charges, or inquiries into Bonds.”

Bonds left Rochester for Henry Ford College in 2023, yet was forced to sign a ‘Sanction Notice’ to complete the calendar year at Rochester and to effectuate his transfer to Henry Ford. In the notice Bonds received a sanction of being suspended from Rochester University Housing for the 2023-24 academic year. He was also placed on probation.

Bonds and his attorneys allege he did not commit any abuse at Rochester and that Rochester has no evidence, no findings and no factual foundation to support any citation for abuse. In short Bonds signed the ‘Sanctions Notice’ so he could transfer.