Federal Court Blocks SFA from Cutting Women's Sports Teams

Judge rules university's plan to eliminate women's teams violates Title IX

Mar. 14, 2026 at 3:19pm

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A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction preventing Stephen F. Austin State University from eliminating its women's beach volleyball, bowling, and golf teams while a Title IX lawsuit against the school continues. The judge found the university was already failing to provide athletic opportunities proportional to its female student population and that cutting the women's teams would cause "irreparable harm" to female athletes.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing challenges universities face in complying with Title IX's requirements for providing equal athletic opportunities for men and women. The judge's ruling reaffirms that schools cannot simply cut women's sports to save money, even if they claim it is for economic reasons rather than discrimination.

The details

Six female student-athletes sued SFA in June 2025 after the university announced plans to cut the women's beach volleyball, bowling, and golf teams, along with the men's golf team, citing anticipated financial impacts from the House v. NCAA settlement. However, an expert found SFA was already failing to provide proportional athletic opportunities for women, who made up 63% of the undergraduate population but received only 45.6% of athletic opportunities. Cutting the three women's teams would have further widened this gap.

  • In June 2025, SFA announced plans to cut several women's sports teams.
  • In August 2025, a federal judge ordered SFA to reinstate the women's teams while the lawsuit continued.
  • On March 14, 2026, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking SFA from eliminating the women's teams.

The players

Stephen F. Austin State University

A public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas that is being sued by female student-athletes over its plan to cut several women's sports teams.

Six female student-athletes

The plaintiffs who sued SFA in June 2025 over the university's plan to eliminate women's beach volleyball, bowling, and golf teams.

Dr. Donna Lopiano

A consultant on Title IX compliance who served as an expert witness for the plaintiffs, finding that SFA was already failing to provide athletic opportunities proportional to its female student population.

U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale

The federal judge who issued the preliminary injunction blocking SFA from cutting the women's sports teams.

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What they’re saying

“We remain confident in the legality and rationale behind our decision to reduce the number of sports we sponsor. The text of Title IX states that institutions may not discriminate on the basis of sex, and there was no evidence presented that SFA's decision was based on sex. The evidence was overwhelming that the decision was based on economics.”

— SFA spokesperson

What’s next

The Title IX lawsuit against SFA will continue, with the university unable to eliminate the women's sports teams while the litigation is ongoing.

The takeaway

This case underscores the ongoing challenges universities face in complying with Title IX's requirements for providing equal athletic opportunities for men and women. The judge's ruling affirms that schools cannot simply cut women's sports to save money, even if they claim it is for economic reasons rather than discrimination.