With the way lucrative judgments have been coming down in sexual discrimination lawsuits, you expect college coaches to run into court for a chance to cash in.

Meet Hawai'i track and field coach Carmyn James, who walked away from an opportunity last week.

How much she potentially stood to bank — had she prevailed in her suit against UH — we'll never know. But a couple of recent awards, $19.1 million to a former Fresno State women's basketball coach and $4.8 million to a former Fresno women's volleyball coach, suggest jackpot possibilities.

All of which James turned her back on to work with the very people she had originally cited as balancing "the UH athletics budget on the back of women's athletics" in her six-page suit.

In litigious times when parties sometimes step into court just for spite and acrimony gets in the way of action, it is both remarkable and refreshing to see James and the UH athletic administration demonstrating a willingness to work together on ironing out differences.

Never mind that it is in both their interests to do so. Reason can too often get lost in the rancor, witness how Fresno State has spent so much time and money in courtrooms due to its inability to work with people who have called problems to its attention.

It sure seemed James and UH were headed for a date in circuit court when she alleged the school was violating Title IX. But while she put the paperwork in Sept. 6, James waited on having the suit served. With associate athletic director Carl Clapp helping bring James and athletic director Herman Frazier together, they have at least begun to try and find a middle ground.

"Dan Siegel, the attorney for both (Fresno coaches) told me in August that I had a very strong case," said James, who by virtue of being head coach not only for track and field but indoor track and cross country constitutes three of the four full-time head coaching positions held by women in the 19-sport athletic program. "However, I put off having it served in order to create an opportunity for the UH athletic department to resolve the issues before having to go to the next level of the legal system."

Frazier said, "I knew we have never discriminated against anyone at any place or time. Anyone who knows me or any administrator I hire knows this cannot — nor will (it) — be tolerated. We did have a few meetings with Carmyn and our athletic administration and we were able to clear the air. I am happy for Carmyn and I see the University and her moving forward for the betterment of our student-athletes."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.

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