JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The parents of a Jacksonville University student who died by suicide have agreed to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit against the university and its former cross-country track coach.
The lawsuit argued 23-year-old Julia Pernsteiner faced “a toxic atmosphere of humiliation and intimidation” under former coach Ron Grigg, who it accused of “fat-shaming” her and other members of the women’s running team before her November 2021 death in her dorm room.
A settlement notice filed this week in federal court offered no details about the agreement, saying only that “an appropriate dismissal will be filed” when needed paperwork is in order. The settlement concluded the case without a formal finding of whether JU or Grigg had any liability.
Pernsteiner had learning disabilities that affected her reading, writing and math skills but had been recruited by Grigg to transfer from the University of Pikeville in Kentucky, said the lawsuit originally filed in Duval County Circuit Court.
It said JU officials signed a contract committing to provide help that would be considered “accommodations” under the Americans with Disabilities Act but didn’t live up to the agreement. The suit said Pernsteiner’s grades fell, she was dropped from the team and “frustration spiraled into desperation and depression” that ended with her death.
Asked to comment on the settlement, the late student’s mother, Lynne Pernsteiner, answered “I just can’t.”
A JU spokesman said Thursday terms of the settlement are confidential but that the university “once again expresses its deepest condolences to the Pernsteiner family for their profound loss.”
The spokesman said JU was “committed to supporting our students, including our student-athletes, through on-campus resources like academic support services, mental health counseling, a dedicated sports psychologist for student-athletes, nutrition and strength coaching. We also maintain and promote channels of communication for students in need of additional support or to share any issues or concerns."
After Pernsteiner’s death, a nonprofit carrying her name was created in Minnesota, where she attended high school, to operate an annual running event and raise money for scholarships and grants in her memory.
