UC reaches $14 million settlement with family of Grant Brace

The University of the Cumberlands has reached a multi-million dollar settlement with the family of Grant Brace, a member of the men’s wrestling team who passed away on Aug. 31, 2020, a few hours after on-campus workouts.

Grant Brace was a University of the Cumberlands wrestler, who died in 2020 after practice. The University recently settled a wrongful death lawsuit in his case for more than $14 million.

The settlement includes monetary payments exceeding $14 million, the University’s agreement to engage in a heat-illness training project to be conducted by a nationally recognized expert in the field, and promotion of the Brace family’s ongoing work to help raise awareness of heat-related injuries, according to a University of the Cumberlands release.

Addressing the settlement, University Chancellor Jerry Jackson said: “Grant was a talented, well-liked young man entering his junior year with a bright future ahead of him. Our University community continues to mourn his untimely loss. We sincerely hope that resolving this matter early in the legal process will offer the Brace family a measure of peace and healing.”

According to the release, the safety of the University’s students and athletes has been and always will be the top priority of the University. As it has in the past, the University will continue to ensure that its athletic department protocols, including those addressing heat-illness, remain aligned with NAIA standards. The University welcomes the opportunity to work with the Brace family’s consultant to ensure it is providing the safest environment possible for student-athletes in all sports.

“The University believed it could defend the claims asserted in the lawsuit, but the legal process would have been long, difficult, and costly, ending years from now in a trial with an uncertain outcome. The University made the decision to settle the case now in a manner it hopes will respect the Brace family’s tremendous loss,” the release stated.

The lawsuit was filed in August 2021 in Whitley Circuit Court naming the university, the Cumberland Foundation, Inc., Cumberland Athletics Properties, Inc., University President Dr. Larry Cockrum, UC Athletic Director Chris Kraftick, now former UC Wrestling coaches Jordan Countryman and Jake Sinkovic, and other unnamed individuals as defendants in the lawsuit.

Kyle and Jacqueline Brace, the parents of Grant Brace, along with his sister, Kaylee Wagnon, claimed in the lawsuit that 20-year-old wrestler died as a result of heat stroke he suffered on Aug. 31 when he, along with the other wrestlers, were forced to perform sprints on what is known as, “Punishment Hill.”

“Grant became profoundly disoriented during and after this grueling practice, but no medical aid was provided,” the family’s attorney, Tyler Stewart of Hare Wynn, stated in a release provided to the News Journal in 2021.

Brace had an early childhood diagnosis of narcolepsy and ADHD.

“Every school Grant attended made accommodations both in athletics and the classroom to protect Grant and facilitate his success given his medical conditions,” the lawsuit stated noting that because Brace was prescribed Adderall to treat his conditions it was critical that he remain hydrated, especially during athletic activities.

“Prior to Grant joining the University of Cumberlands student body and wrestling team, Grant and his family were assured by Defendants that appropriate accommodations would be made regarding his medical condition and hydration needs,” the lawsuit stated.

The lawsuit noted that Countryman became head coach of UC Men’s Wrestling in 2018 and Sinkovic became an assistant coach in 2019.

At the time of his death, Brace had wrestled three years at UC.

According to the lawsuit, the wrestling team had a history of alleged abuse under Countryman and Sinkovic with one incident resulting in a wrestler suffering a permanent brain injury after falling on his head while running in 2019.

Despite the knowledge of Brace’s requirements, the lawsuit contended that Countryman and Sinkovic would single him out when he requested a water break, specifically asking him, “Do you think you are special and are allowed more water?”

On the date in question the plaintiff’s claim that the wrestling team was returning for its first day of practice and were forced to complete a punishment practice on punishment hill after a track practice.

The punishment entailed each wrestler sprinting up and down the steep incline seven times.

“Grant completed numerous circuits on ‘punishment hill’ and sat down out of exhaustion,” the lawsuit stated. “Defendant Countryman approached Grant and inquired why he had stopped. After a brief exchange, Defendant Countryman informed Grant that he was being kicked off of the team and demanded Grant return to the wrestling room. Grant, even though he had completed numerous ‘punishment hill’ circuits, again ran to the top of ‘punishment hill.’ Before beginning yet another circuit, Grant was heard saying, ‘I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.’”

Brace reportedly continued to complete circuits at the coaches’ insistence.

Upon returning to the wrestling room, the lawsuit claimed that Brace laid on the wrestling mat begging for water, but the coaches yelled at teammates that tried to provide the water, insisting that Brace get it himself.

“Suffering from heat stroke, Grant begged ‘I need water, somebody help me,’” the lawsuit states noting that Brace said he felt like his pupils were shaking. “’I feel like I’m going to die, I feel like my head is going to explode,’” Brace was heard to say.

Brace was also heard to utter multiple phrases of gibberish including, “I am going leave in a big parade,” and “I ate a fork on Sunday,” the lawsuit stated noting that he began speaking loudly and using curse words and tackled another wrestler.

When made aware of Brace’s condition, the lawsuit claims that the coaches screamed at him to get out of the wrestling room noting that he fled from the wrestling room.

“The Defendant Coaches made no immediate effort to locate Grant after he fled,” the lawsuit stated noting that Brace initially tried to get water out of a fountain that was not working and then tried, unsuccessfully, to get into another building, before he collapsed.

In addition, the lawsuit noted that no athletic trainer was present during the practice on Aug. 31 in violation of the rules and regulations governing the wrestling team.