Former SU student sues university over hiring of former tennis coach

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Former Syracuse University student Carolyn Mahoney is suing the university, alleging SU was negligent in the hiring of former SU tennis head coach Jesse Dwire. In the summons issued Friday, Mahoney alleges that Dwire sexually assaulted her.

In 1999, Dwire resigned after helming Syracuse tennis for 21 years. Upon his resignation, Dwire was named in a $762 million dollar lawsuit in which two former players accused him of sexual misconduct. The lawsuit stated Dwire gave them unwanted massages and had sex-related conversations about their personal lives. Dwire later settled for an undisclosed amount of money in 1999.

Two years prior in 1997, Dwire was suspended for three months without pay by SU after a five-person panel found that he violated the school’s sexual harassment and discrimination policy. After the suspension, Dwire continued to coach the team until his resignation.

Dwire died in 2003. The plaintiff will be represented by Manhattan-based attorney Milo Silberstein of the firm Dealy Silberstein & Braverman, LLP. Silberstein did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Orange. A university spokesperson told The Daily Orange the university does not comment on pending litigation, per university policy.