Prairie View A&M University women’s basketball coach Dawn Brown suspended two players on her team because they were dating, followed the university announced Brown would not return next season. She said the relationship broke a team rule that she put in place before the season.
Brown told USA Today Sports, she was fired for allegedly violating Title IX by enforcing a team rule that she says was approved by the university. The rule said: “Players may not have nonprofessional relationships with other players, coaches, managers, trainers, or any other persons affiliated” with the program.
“Clearly, I feel betrayed and unjustly penalized by this action,” Brown said.
The former players had filed a complaint alleging that their dismissal discriminated against them because of sexual orientation, and violated Title IX. Brown, however, notes that a team rule clearly stated, “Players may not have nonprofessional relationships with other players, coaches, managers trainers or any other persons affiliated” with the team. She said she enacted the rule after an assistant coach had a relationship with a player.
