The following story originally appeared in the Wednesday, Feb. 13 edition of the Charleston Gazette, and is reprinted with permission.
Athletes file Title IX civil suit against WVU Tech
By Mitch Vingle, Sports Editor
Two softball players have filed a civil action against the Board of Governors of WVU Tech and West Virginia University for violation of Title IX, which forbids sex discrimination in state-assisted athletics.
Terri Harrison and Alexis Cox, both listed as softball players at WVU Tech, filed the complaint in the state's U.S. Court for the Southern District.
The suit, filed this month, claims the plaintiffs have been discriminated "by being required to play softball on inadequate fields'' compared to Tech's men. The suit also said the Golden Bear softball team received inadequate equipment and less funding than comparable men's sports.
The suit also claims players were " 'awarded' softball scholarship monies which did not exist.''
According to the papers filed by J. Michael Ranson of Ranson Law Offices in Charleston, Tech officials agreed in August of 2007 to renovations that include installing new lights, restrooms and locker rooms at the Cannelton softball field. The suit said the agreement was breached when no action was taken.
The suit also claims Tech hired a "football coach, with no softball experience'' as an assistant softball coach and that he "continued coaching football'' and was unable to fulfill the duties as a softball coach.
WVU Tech athletic director Lou Talerico could not be immediately reached for comment.
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