Suit Filed Against St. Cloud Over Women's Tennis Program

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP/WCCO) -- Some members of the St. Cloud State University women's tennis team are suing the school, alleging it has offered more athletic opportunities for men.

Women's tennis is one of the six athletic programs St. Cloud plans to cut for budgetary reasons at the end of the school year. The plaintiffs ask a federal judge to issue an injunction preventing the university from eliminating any women's sports team until the lawsuit is resolved.

"SCSU has not recently surveyed its present or prospective student body to assess their athletic interests and abilities," the suit alleges."

The plaintiffs include five of the six underclassmen on the team, who are asking for class action status on behalf of future female athletes. The St. Cloud Times says the lawsuit accuses the university of having 116 more athletic opportunities for men than for women during each of the last 12 years, thereby denying 1,759 female students athletic opportunities.

St. Cloud State spokesman Adam Hammer said the university had no immediate comment.

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