Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Involving Former New Rochelle Football Coach of the Year Settles

Louis “Coach D” DiRienzo was “unexpectedly resigned” in 2019 amidst a championship season for his team, the New Rochelle Huguenots.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (April 17, 2024) — After more than four years, a civil lawsuit against the Yonkers Public Schools involving former New Rochelle Football Head Coach Louis DiRienzo, filed in New York State Supreme Court, ended with a Stipulation Agreement filed with Judge Helen M. Blackwood on Monday, April 15, 2024.

The case was scheduled to go to trial on March 11, 2024, but delayed as the two sides worked towards a settlement.

Under the Stipulation Agreement, both parties agreed the claims, counterclaims and third-party claims, have been “amicably resolved, conditioned upon the approval of the Yonkers City Council”. Once approved by the Yonkers City Council, the Stipulation Agreement will become a public record.

The Stipulation Agreement reads, “Defendants shall file a Stipulation of Discontinuance with prejudice within five days of receiving payment of the total settlement amount”. The term “with prejudice” means the lawsuit is terminated with finality and that the case cannot be refiled.

Talk of the Sound reached out to lawyers on both sides of the case to understand the wording of the Stipulation Agreement. Defendants’ counsel replied to confirm the Plaintiff will receive the total settlement amount, despite the incongruous wording of the Stipulation Agreement.

On February 7, 2020, Patricia Adamchek (née Pugliese, DOB 11/25/1970) of Monroe, NY, filed a lawsuit under the New York State Child Victims Act, signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2020. Under the law, accusers had up until August 14, 2020, to file claims with no statute of limitations in a civil case until the victim turns 55.

The lawsuit accused the Yonkers Public Schools of Negligent Supervision, Negligent Retention, Negligent Failure to Train Teachers and Administrators Related to Sexual Abuse and Train Students Relating to Sexual Abuse, Negligent Failure to Provide a Safe and Secure Environment, and Failure to Report Child Abuse.

In her 2020 Complaint, Adamchek said she believed she was sexually abused about 12 times between about 1986 and 1988. In 2024, the Defense said the Plaintiff represented the alleged sexual abuse occurred between September 1987 and November 1987.

The age of consent in New York State is 17.

The Defense argued in a March 4, 2024, letter to Judge Blackwood that Adamchek could not testify about any instances of alleged sexual abuse after Adamchek’s 17th birthday on November 25, 1987. The Defense likewise argued Adamchek could not testify about any instances of alleged sexual abuse that occurred off school property and outside school hours (there was one such allegation). The Defense also argued Adamchek could not testify about any instances of alleged sexual abuse that occurred after Adamchek’s 18th birthday on November 25, 1988.

According to the complaint, Adamchek was a student at Lincoln High School from 1984 to 1988. At the time, Louis DiRienzo was a Health Teach and Varsity Football Coach at the school. Adamchek was a cheerleader and a student of DiRienzo. Adamchek alleged that in the fall of 1986, before her 16th birthday, DiRienzo began a process of “grooming” her with the goal of sexually abusing her.

The acts of grooming included, but were not limited to, DIRIENZO giving PLAINTIFF money, allowing PLAINTIFF to skip class with no consequences, giving PLAINTIFF his car keys so she could drive DIRIENZO’S car to the store during school hours and buy breakfast for PLAINTIFF and DIRIENZO, and telling PLAINTIFF he wanted her to be his girlfriend. This grooming behavior occurred on SCHOOL property.
During the pendency of the sexual abuse, PLAINTIFF informed one of her teachers during regular school hours, Ms. (Helaine) Katzenberg, an employee and agent of DEFENDANTS, that she was “sexually involved” with DIRIENZO. Upon information and belief, following this report of sexual abuse to the above-referenced teacher, no corrective action was taken by DEFENDANTS to protect PLAINTIFF from further sexual abuse.
PLAINTIFF was a cheerleader at SCHOOL and a student of DIRIENZO’S.
DIRIENZO instructed PLAINTIFF to meet him during school hours or after cheerleading and football practice. During said times, DIRIENZO kissed PLAINTIFF on the mouth, fondled her vagina over her clothes, fondled her vagina skin-to-skin, and digitally penetrated her vagina.
DIRIENZO also used his position of authority vested in him by DEFENDANTS as Varsity Football Coach and PLAINTIFF’S Health Teacher to cajole and otherwise require PLAINTIFF to masturbate him, orally copulate him and engage in vaginal intercourse with him.
PLAINTIFF was sexually abused by DIRIENZO in DIRIENZO’S car while on property of SCHOOL, in SCHOOL’S weight room during school hours, and at
DIRIENZO’S friend’s house.
In total, PLAINTIFF believes she was sexually abused about 12 (twelve) times between about 1986 and 1988.

Coach D supporters confront Superintendent Dr. Laura Feijóo on her decision to suspend the coach on the eve of the 2019 state playoffs.

DiRienzo was suspended from his position as New Rochelle High School Football Head Coach by the New Rochelle Board of Education on November 13, 2019, following an incident at the New Rochelle High School cafeteria where the Coach was reported to have intervened when a student at the school, a relative of DeRienzo, was in medical distress and assisted the student’s parent to release the student from school without following District protocol.

As a result of the suspension, DeRienzo did not coach the Huguenots during their run through the New York State Playoffs, which ended with a 28-0 victory over in the AA State Championship at the Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University.

New Rochelle Huguenots after winning the 2019 AA State Championship at the Carrier Dome.

Adamchek filed a criminal complaint with the Yonkers Police Department on November 19, 2019.

Coach D supporters board bus to Syracuse.

The suspension of DeRienzo, one of the most popular figures in New Rochelle, came just days after Dr. Laura Feijóo started her short-lived tenure as Superintendent.

Dr. Laura Feijóo announces suspension of Lou DiRienzo a day earlier at a press conference on November 14, 2019 at City Hall

Already highly controversial due to her filing a high-profile reverse-discrimination lawsuit against her previous employer, Dr. Feijóo’s actions caused a massive uproar, from which she never recovered. Nine months later, Dr. Feijóo was out as Superintendent.