San Diego Wave President Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Former Employee Over Accusations Of Abuse.

Former San Diego Wave President, Jill Ellis, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Brittany Alvarado, a former employee of the women’s professional soccer team. The lawsuit comes in response to Alvarado’s allegations of a poor work environment. On July 3, Alvarado posted on X and Instagram, claiming that working under Jill Ellis has been detrimental to their mental health. She further accused Ellis of fostering an environment that allows abusive behaviors among her subordinates to flourish, and called for her removal from the team and the league.

Ellis promptly issued a statement denying the allegations and refuting their personal impact. In an effort to address the situation legally, Ellis has now filed a defamation and intentional interference lawsuit against Alvarado in the California Superior Court in San Diego. The lawsuit claims that as a result of the false and defamatory statements made by Alvarado, Ellis has suffered emotional distress, damage to reputation, and economic loss.

In her lawsuit, Ellis also seeks an injunction to prevent Alvarado from publishing further defamatory statements against her. Alvarado’s attorney, Casey Hultin, argues that her client is exercising her First Amendment rights to shed light on the gender discrimination and emotional abuse prevalent within the organization. It is Hultin’s belief that Alvarado’s voice represents the experiences of many, calling for immediate and significant changes to protect staff and athletes from future harm.

The lawsuit reveals that Alvarado was employed by the San Diego Wave on March 20, 2023. She filed a complaint with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) on February 5 of this year, and the league completed its investigation on April 26. The NWSL found no violation of any laws or league policies in relation to Alvarado’s complaint. According to the lawsuit, Alvarado resigned from her position on June 7.

Jill Ellis, 57, is a renowned soccer coach who previously led the U.S. women’s national team from 2014 to 2019. Under her guidance, the team achieved World Cup victories in 2015 and 2019. She received the Best FIFA Women’s Coach award for both years.