Two former Duquesne University basketball players who were shot after a school dance nearly two years ago filed a federal lawsuit this morning against the school, claiming negligence.

Shawn James and Kojo Mensah, both of New York, allege that they never would have been shot had Duquesne officials provided adequate security at the dance and not permitted non-students to attend. In addition, they claim that coach Ron Everhart forced them to practice and play with the team while they were recovering from their injuries.

They are seeking punitive damages.

About 2 a.m. on Sept. 17, 2006, five members of the Duquesne basketball team were shot while leaving a back-to-school dance at the student union.

Then-student Brittany Jones had invited several friends, who did not attend Duquesne, to join her at the dance. However, a woman in the group started flirting with the basketball players, and it angered Ms. Jones' friends.

As they were leaving the dance, the men, William Holmes III, of Penn Hills, and Derek Lee, of the North Side, confronted the players and pulled out their handguns.

Mr. Holmes fired six rounds from a .38-caliber revolver, hitting five players with the bullets. Mr. Lee shot twice from a 9mm pistol, but did not hit anyone.

Both men pleaded guilty to five counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault. Mr. Holmes was sentenced to 18 to 40 years in prison. Mr. Lee was ordered to serve seven to 14 years. Ms. Jones pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and was sentenced to two years probation and was banished from Duquesne.

According to the suits, filed separately in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Ms. Jones approached the doorman at the dance before she and her friends entered, asking if her guests would be frisked.

That action, they claim, should have made it "reasonably foreseeable" that the people planned to commit a crime on campus.

Both men allege that they potentially lost millions of dollars because of their injuries. Mr. James, who said he had been projected to be picked 17th in the NBA draft, was shot through his left foot.

Mr. Mensah was hit in the left arm and shoulder.

Mr. Everhart said he could not comment on the lawsuit.