Title IX complaint filed against RIT for rostering trans athlete Sadie Schreiner
2025-02-15
Category: sports

The Concerned Women for America (CWA) has filed a Title IX complaint against the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for allowing trans athlete Sadie Schreiner to compete on the women's track and field team, Fox News Digital has learned. The CWA has filed its complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, which has recently launched investigations into other institutions for potential Title IX violations, including San Jose State University, the University of Pennsylvania, and high school athletic associations in Massachussetts, Minnesota and California.&nbsp; CWA CEO and President Penny Nance provided a statement to Fox News Digital, elaborating on the complaint.&nbsp; "Rochester Institute of Technology continues to violate Title IX anti-discrimination rules for male and female teams by rostering a trans-identifying male on its women’s track team.&nbsp;RIT makes the excuse it is following the NCAA’s Transgender Participation Policy (TPP) but that policy is not federal law and, in fact, does not comply with Title IX. The NCAA does not have the authority to re-define the meaning of sex under federal law for participation on male and female teams," Nance said.&nbsp; "Though RIT publicly claims it is following NCAA policy, its duty under the law is to follow Title IX.&nbsp;Educational institutions cannot hide behind the NCAA for its willful violations of women’s civil rights.&nbsp; Neither the NCAA’s previous policy nor its revised policy announced on February 6, 2025, fully protects women’s sports for women only as required under Title IX regulations which differentiate male and female teams on the basis of sex." Fox News Digital has reached out to RIT for comment.&nbsp; CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM  An RIT spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that Schreiner isn't participating in future events, as the program is complying with the NCAA's new policy that reflects President Donald Trump's recent executive order that bans trans athletes from women's sports.&nbsp; "We continue to follow the NCAA participation policy for transgender student-athletes following the Trump administration’s executive order. Sadie is not participating in the next meet," the spokesperson said. However, RIT has not confirmed to Fox News Digital whether Schreiner has been removed from the roster and is no longer practicing with the team. Schreiner still has a player profile page on the team's official website.&nbsp; The NCAA's policy also states that a biological male can still practice on a women's team and "receive benefits." "A student-athlete assigned male at birth may practice on an NCAA women's team and receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes," the policy reads.&nbsp; President Donald Trump signed the "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order last week, which cuts federal funding for any institution that allows trans athletes to compete in women's sports.&nbsp; Schreiner currently holds multiple school records in women’s track, including as RIT’s women’s indoor track record holder in the 200-, 300-, and 400-meter dashes,5 and RIT’s women’s outdoor record holder in the 200- and 400- meter dashes. Schreiner has been a prominent controversial figure in women's track and field this past year, especially after an appearance at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track &amp; Field Championship in May.&nbsp; TEEN GIRLS OPEN UP ON TRANS ATHLETE SCANDAL THAT TURNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL INTO A CULTURE WAR BATTLEGROUND&nbsp;  Earlier that month, Schreiner competed at the Liberty League Championship and won both the women's 200- and 400-meter, breaking the 400-meter record in the process. Schreiner would have finished last by more than two seconds if the athlete had put up the same performance in the men's competition. Recently, in late January, Schreiner bragged after winning an event against female opponents.&nbsp; "Not the race I was looking for at all this week, my spikes nearly fell off on the turn and with a poor start my time wasn’t nearly what I wanted," the RIT runner wrote in an Instagram post. "The good news is that the season just started, and I’m going to leave everything on the track at nationals," Schreiner added with a transgender pride flag emoji. On Jan. 17, Schreiner took first place in the 200- and 400-meter dashes at the Brockport Friday Night Rust Buster, taking top spots over two female seniors. In the 200-meter dash Schreiner beat RIT teammate Caroline Hill by 1.5 seconds and took first place honors in the 400-meter dash from Brockport’s Marissa Wise by nearly 3.5 seconds. Schreiner’s results achieved automatic qualification for the All-Atlantic Regional Track and Field Championships. On Jan. 24, Schreiner took first place in the 200-meter dash at the RIT Friday Meet, beating out Liberty League junior Lexi Rodriguez of Brockport with an even faster time. On Jan. 30, Schreiner took first place in the 200- and 400-meter dashes against Liberty League opponents. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP  Schreiner also made it a point to speak out against states and colleges that were not offering the trans athlete a full scholarship when Schreiner wanted to transfer, in December. The athlete blamed laws in 25 states that prohibit trans athletes from competing with girls and women.&nbsp; "Among all the hurdles transfers usually have, there is an extra layer because it is trans, 50% of the country banned me from participating and that meant I couldn't attend any of those colleges even if they reached out to me with a full ride," Schreiner said. "It also became clear that states that did, no matter how adamant the coaches were to have me on their teams, the college administrations would usually stop them from allowing me to participate."&nbsp; Follow Fox News Digital’s&nbsp;sports coverage on X, and subscribe to&nbsp;the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.