Married ex-NFL player who now heads athletics at NJ’s priciest private school is having ‘quid pro quo’ affair with younger underling: suit
A former NFL player who now heads the athletics department at New Jersey’s most expensive boarding school is being sued for what the court calls a “quid pro quo” relationship with a much younger staff member, according to a new lawsuit.
Sullivan “Tripp” Welborne, the 57‑year‑old dean who came to the campus in 2015 and was previously a star for the Minnesota Vikings, allegedly created a new “Director of Athletics” position and awarded it to 38‑year‑old Nicole Stock, while also giving her a John Deere ATV to use on the campus grounds, the complaint says.
Two senior employees—Karla Despinis, who had served as associate director of athletics since 2005, and Richard Rienzo, the head strength and conditioning coach hired in 2004—contend they were let go after raising concerns about the affair, a claim the suit frames as retaliatory.
The lawsuit argues that Stock’s rapid promotion and the perks she enjoyed were tied to her relationship with Welborne, and that Despinis and Rienzo were excluded from meetings and key decision‑making under the pretext of “budgetary concerns,” all while the school, which charges over $80,000 a year for boarding, is financially robust with an endowment exceeding $700 million.
In contrast, the school’s spokesperson denies any wrongdoing and insists it will defend itself in court, citing the need to maintain a culture of respect and integrity.
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