Kathleen Droba, a former player with Adrian (Mich.) College’s women’s hockey team, has filed a lawsuit against former Michigan State University defender Sydney Crawford for injuries Droba suffered on the ice during a game between the two schools.
As reported NBC affiliate WOOD in Grand Rapids, Droba claims in a lawsuit filed in September and moved to federal court earlier this month that an illegal hit from Crawford during a game played Feb. 19, 2023, has caused her serious long-term issues.
According to the lawsuit, Droba was positioned near the Spartans’ net when Crawford checked her to the ice.
“[Crawford] continued to skate towards [Droba] and, without warning, recklessly and/or carelessly and violently struck [Droba] with the force of her entire body, causing [Droba] to strike the surface of the ice with great force and lose consciousness,” the lawsuit reads.
The hit also allegedly caused compression fractures in two of Droba’s vertebrae.
As reported by WOOD's Matt Jaworowski, bodychecking is not allowed in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. According to a box score from the MSU team website, Crawford was assessed a 5-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for the hit.
Dobra’s lawyers argue the hit went above and beyond any incidental action in a physical game.
“The bodycheck by [Crawford] was not attributable to participation in the ongoing athletic contest, as there was no play on the puck, and such action is clearly and expressly outside of the rules of play,” the lawsuit reads, as reported by WOOD.
Nearly two years later, Droba claims she still experiences persistent headaches, vertigo, bowel/bladder control issues and an overall decreased quality of life, all of which could lead to potential loss of income.
Per Jaworowski's reporting, neither Michigan State University nor the MSU women's hockey program are named as defendants in the lawsuit. Droba, who now lives in Pennsylvania, has asked for $25,000 and any additional costs and interest that the court may deem appropriate.
