Former Duluth Coaches To Sue ‘U’

“The University’s discrimination against Plaintiffs related to their compensation, facilities, privileges of employment, and Plaintiffs’ terms and conditions of employment and prevented them from discharging their duties as head women’s hockey, softball, and basketball coaches”, the lawsuit alleges.

Three former University of Minnesota Duluth coaches, including women’s hockey coach Shannon Miller, filed a discrimination lawsuit against the university Monday, saying they lost their jobs because they’re female and gay.

In December 2014, Miller was told her contract would not be renewed due to a budget deficit.

According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court Monday by the former coaches of the women’s hockey, softball, and basketball teams, UMD discriminated based on gender, sexual orientation, national origin, and age.

The lawsuit argues that the university violated Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation at schools receiving federal cash.

In a telephone interview, UMD Chancellor Lendley Black said he wouldn’t respond to specific allegations in the lawsuit, but he defended the school’s handling of the situation. Which was an epic, massive, titanic misjudgment, given claims made for years that women who are NCAA coaches face as “salary ceiling”.

UMD has hired new head coaches for all three sports; with Maura Crowell in women’s hockey, Jen Walter in softball and Mandy Pearson in women’s basketball.

The Bulldogs finished 20-12-5 in Miller’s final season and haven’t been to an NCAA tournament since 2011, but her teams won five national championships, the last with a victory over Cornell at Ridder Arena in 2010.

The former coaches and their attorneys are expected to provide additional details at a 1 p.m. news conference in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Prior to the December 9 meeting, Miller was not provided with any indication that her contract would not be renewed, for financial reasons or otherwise. “I’m concerned about what this says to society about the value of women”. In fact, as recently as July of 2014, both Berlo and Black had told Miller that they would continue to discuss the renewal of her coaching contract and that the lines of communication would be kept open.

“We believe we have a university here that has a very serious problem with gender issues and LGBT issues”, said Siegel, who went on to cite the resignation last week of the founding director of UMD’s Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Services, Angie Nichols. She alleges that Berlo and assistant athletic director Abbey Strong “established a pattern of disrespect, exclusion and lack of civility in their interactions with Wiles”.

Wiles, Banford and Miller are looking for a jury trial. Miller had accepted pay cuts previously to help the school and was willing to take another but was never given that opportunity before the meeting, it says. He said he will be filing a complaint on their behalf to the U.S. Department of Education.