Students Sue University of Kentucky for Lack of Representation

JAIR ANAYA Staff Writer

Two students are suing the University of Kentucky for violating federal law by failing to offer women enough opportunities in varsity athletics. The lawsuit claims that the university has to add about 183 women to its athletic programs to ensure equity. These students are asking the court to make the university add more varsity level opportunities for women. Currently, according to university officials, there are 226 participants on its women’s teams while the men’s teams have 331 participants. 

These stats show that there are more men than women enrolled in sports, which means that men have more opportunities than women. According to the NCAA’s website an institution has to meet certain requirements and the University of Kentucky is not meeting all of those requirements. 

The discrepancy is not due to a lack of female students. More women than men are enrolled as undergraduates at the University of Kentucky.

 “I definitely think female athletes deserve just as much representation as their male counterparts because they too put in a lot of work and dedication to their sport,” Cross Country member Maria Romano said.

 The lawsuit says the University of Kentucky has refused to add a triathlon team despite being offered a $150,000 grant to help launch one. Women athletes could be added to such a team to help even out the numbers. The lawsuit asks the University to increase opportunities for women by establishing more women’s varsity teams.