Lexington, Ky. – A U.S. District Court judge has sided with the University of Kentucky in a significant Title IX lawsuit, ruling that the university’s athletic programs comply with federal regulations regarding female student-athletes. This ruling follows a 2019 lawsuit filed by two former students who claimed that UK did not provide equal opportunities for women to participate in varsity sports.
The case evolved into a class-action lawsuit after trial proceedings began last year. On Monday, Judge Karen Caldwell acknowledged that while the university does not fulfill certain Title IX requirements, the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that there was a substantial interest among female students in particular sports.
Legal representatives for the former students focused their arguments on the apparent lack of elevation for club sports to varsity status. They highlighted requests for programs in field hockey, lacrosse, and equestrian sports, and pointed out that besides the addition of a stunt team in 2021, UK has not introduced a new women’s varsity sport since Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart’s tenure began in 2002.
In response to the claims, the University of Kentucky maintained that insufficient student interest prevented the addition of these sports at the varsity level, a point that Judge Caldwell supported. “Plaintiffs must prove that there are female students actually able to compete at a varsity level in a sport and that there are enough of them to form a team,” Caldwell wrote in her decision.
UK spokesperson Jay Blanton expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating, “The University of Kentucky fully complies with Title IX and its regulations concerning participation in intercollegiate athletics. As a campus community, we care deeply about these issues.”
This decision marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing discourse around gender equality in collegiate athletics, highlighting the complexities in aligning student interest with compliance under Title IX legislation. Further discussions regarding the promotion of women’s athletics and potential program development at UK may follow this ruling.
