Quinnipiac women's rugby players sue school after program is dropped from varsity to club level

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Members of the Quinnipiac women's rugby team on Friday filed a class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Connecticut seeking the reinstatement of the program's varsity status after the university announced last month that it would be dropped to the club level in 2026-27.

The lawsuit alleges the university made the move in violation of Title IX, the federal law that bans sex-based discrimination in education, and as retribution for the coach repeatedly raising concerns about the school's unequal treatment of male and female athletes.

A Quinnipiac spokesperson said the university does not comment on litigation.

The school announced April 14 that a men’s indoor and outdoor distance program within the existing track program would be added and that women’s rugby would go from varsity to club status.

Quinnipiac was among 13 Division I women's varsity teams in the 2025 season, most of them in the Northeast. Named as plaintiffs are 16 players who were on the 2025 roster and seven who planned to enroll as freshmen and play on the team this fall.

Named as defendants are the university trustees, president Marie Hardin and athletic director Greg Amodio.

The lawsuit alleged the rugby and other women's teams do not receive the same support as men's teams in areas such as facilities, equipment, travel, medical services and strength and conditioning, among others. Coach Becky Carlson repeatedly raised concerns about unequal treatment to the administration, the lawsuit said.

“QU’s retaliatory elimination of the women’s varsity rugby team also chills Plaintiffs, proposed class members, witnesses, and other students from raising, supporting, participating in, or pursuing Title IX complaints or this litigation,” the lawsuit said.

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