St. Cloud State Athletes' Lawsuit Alleges Fewer Opportunities For Women

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A State University is facing a lawsuit from some of its tennis players.

Five members of the St. Cloud State University women's tennis team are suing the school, alleging that the University has been offering more opportunities for men than women. It comes two months after St Cloud State made major cuts to its athletic programs, including women's tennis.

Court documents filed in U.S. District Court allege St Cloud State University and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities discriminate opportunities for athletes by gender, saying: "They provide male students with a greater opportunity to participate in varsity intercollegiate athletics than they provide to female students."

"What's known as Title IX, which is federal legislation, which requires them to provide equal athletic programs for men and women," attorney Donald Chance Mark Jr. said.

Mark Jr. represents the five tennis players involved in the lawsuit. The 31-page-document cites data reported to the U.S. Department of Education, showing there were 124 more opportunities for male athletes than female athletes last year.

"There's been a significant disparity in the number of men that have participated versus the number of women," Mark Jr. said.

The university's decision to cut six of its athletic programs in March for budget reasons included both women and men's programs, including both tennis teams.

Morgan Emmans is a softball player at St. Cloud State.

"It's really unfortunate that program is being cut," she said. "I would be very upset, but it is what it is 1.01..."

Mark Jr. says the cuts were simply a last straw for limited opportunities for the female athletes.

"Our goal is to see that the tennis team is reinstated so that these young ladies have an opportunity to continue their collegiate tennis careers as they were promised," he said.

Mark Jr. said the five women suing the university are unsure if they will play tennis for another college. They are allowed to keep their scholarships with SCSU.

A spokesperson for St. Cloud State said the University could not comment at this time.