NCAA

Lawsuits

Female athletes sue NCAA over
transgender competitors in sports

March 14, 2024, Francesca Block, The Free Press

Over a dozen female athletes are suing the National Collegiate Athletics Association for letting transgender athletes compete against them and use female locker rooms in college sports.

At the center of the class-action lawsuit is Lia Thomas, the trans woman who dominated the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championships while a student at the University of Pennsylvania.

The suit states that both the NCAA and Georgia Tech, which hosted the event, knowingly violated Title IX. This federal statute guarantees equal opportunity for men and women in college education and sports.

ICONS Press Release

LAS VEGAS (March 14, 2024) — The Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) has announced exclusive funding support for a critical lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

ICONS is funding this lawsuit. Please contribute now to back these women in court. We need your support to win this legal battle. Donate now.

You can make a difference:

Sign the petition

Sign our petition for updates on the progress of this case and urge the NCAA to revise its policies.

Meet the athletes

Learn more about the female plaintiffs in this case.

Riley Gaines

Swimming, University of Kentucky

✔ 12 times All-American

✔ Five times SEC Champion

✔ SEC record holder

✔ Female Scholar Athlete of the Year

Reka Gyorgy

Swimming, Virginia Tech

✔ Olympian, Hungary

✔ ACC Champion

✔ All-American

Kylee Alons

Swimming, North Carolina State

✔ Two times NCAA Champion

✔ 31 times All-American

✔ Five times ACC Champion

✔ Former American record holder

Kaitlynn Wheeler

Swimming, University of Kentucky

✔ NCAA Runner-Up

✔ All-American

✔ SEC Champion

Read Kailynn’s Op-Ed

Grace Countie

Swimming, University of North Carolina

✔ 11x All-American

✔ 2022 NCAA Championships

Ainsley Erzen

Soccer, Track, University of Arkansas

✔ High School National Champion

✔ SEC Team Champion, Track & Field and Soccer

✔ 2024 NCAA Championships

Brooke Slusser

Volleyball, San José State University

✔ Team Captain

✔ Honorable Mention All-Mountain West

Ellie Eades

Tennis, University of Kentucky

Lily Mullens

Swimming, Roanoke College

✔ Team Captain

Kate Pearson

Swimming, Roanoke College

✔ Team Captain

Susanna Price

Swimming, Roanoke College

Carter Satterfield

Swimming, Roanoke College

Katie Blankinship

Swimming, Roanoke College

Julianna Morrow

Swimming, Roanoke College

Halle Schart

Swimming, Roanoke College

Ellis Fox

Swimmer, Texas A&M University

Nanea Merryman

Volleyball, Cedarville University

Swimmer A

NCAA Division I, Swimming

✔ 2022 NCAA Championships

Track Athlete A

NCAA Division III, Track

Legal Team

Bill Bock

✔ General Council, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency 2007-2020

✔ Lead Attorney in Lance Armstrong Investigation

✔ Litigated Cases at the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Bill Bock is a litigator with experience in sports law, athlete eligibility disputes, sports drug testing, and Title IX cases. Bill served as the General Counsel of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) from 2007 to 2020. He has represented clients in high-profile investigations, litigation, and arbitration throughout the United States, including sports organizations, Fortune 500 companies, governmental agencies, and individuals.

Bill has decades of experience in international sports law matters. He has conducted international sports doping investigations, served as lead counsel in numerous cases before the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, advised international sports organizations and governing bodies, and acted as an arbitrator in cases involving the eligibility of international athletes.

Latest Coverage

"Having one male, even if they place last, displaces another girl from qualifying for the meet altogether."🔥

IWF Ambassador @PaulaYScanlan joins @NewsNation to discuss the NCAA lawsuit, how the NCAA continues to discriminate against female athletes, & more. Watch now: pic.twitter.com/4Uv3rCx7YL
— Independent Women's Forum (@IWF) April 2, 2024

NCAA Sued by Swimmers, More College Athletes over Transgender Rules

"[The NCAA is] just unwilling to get their hands dirty and make the right call. And this is their opportunity really to do the right thing and start protecting women and women's sports."

— Kaitlynn Wheeler, former NCAA swimmer@WheelerKaitlynn @kyleealons @SharlaMcBride pic.twitter.com/U4aDe5Fear
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 15, 2024

🚨 Taking on the NCAA: former U of Kentucky swimmer @Riley_Gaines_ & former Virginia Tech swimmer @Gyorgy_Official dive into their landmark lawsuit against the NCAA and express their confidence in a successful judgement.https://t.co/5HCVFyxNTT pic.twitter.com/Q3cQJ0YHQv
— ICONS (@icons_women) March 14, 2024