The complaint reportedly says Grindstaff raised concerns with university officials and the state Higher Education Department before submitting a final safety report on the morning of 4 May, the day he was dismissed.
It also alleges the field contributed to lower-body injuries for 28 of 30 women’s football players. That figure will now face scrutiny, but the wider issue is straightforward: safe equipment and suitable playing surfaces are basic responsibilities for any football programme.
The timing of the report and dismissal is likely to become a key part of the case. Grindstaff argues the sequence points to retaliation, while New Mexico Highlands University general counsel Doajo Hicks reportedly disputes that interpretation.
The lawsuit is part of a broader upheaval at the university. The report says former president Neil Woolf, basketball coach Zach Settembre and several vice-presidents were also dismissed in May.
A letter from the Board of Regents reportedly raised separate allegations involving financial mismanagement, nepotism, procurement rules and improper hiring. Those accusations are disputed and should not be treated as findings.
The dispute has also reportedly prompted a criminal investigation into whether an athletic director’s signature was forged on Settembre’s contract. Grindstaff’s lawyers say electronic-signature records show Scott Noble signed it himself, while his opponents have raised questions about the document.
The legal process will test the safety reports, the dismissal timeline and the competing accounts surrounding university governance. For NMHU’s football programme, the lasting concern may be whether athletes and staff can trust the systems protecting them.
Further court filings, university responses and any investigative findings will shape the next chapter.