College women are being failed by a 54

Key Points:

• Ryann Allison and teammate Brynn Dowd, top players on Stephen F. Austin State University’s beach volleyball team, were unexpectedly cut from the roster in 2025, amid a backdrop of the university cutting multiple women's sports teams citing financial constraints.
• The cuts led Allison, Dowd, and others to file a Title IX lawsuit alleging the university violated gender equity laws by disproportionately eliminating women’s athletic opportunities despite women comprising 63% of the student body but only 40% of athletic roster spots.
• Stephen F. Austin defended its actions citing a recent Supreme Court decision challenging the longstanding “three-prong test” for Title IX compliance, complicating enforcement of gender equity in collegiate sports.
• The case highlights broader national challenges as universities grapple with financial pressures from new NCAA pay rules for athletes, often resulting in cuts to non-revenue women’s sports programs despite their growth potential and importance for Title IX compliance.
• The ongoing legal battle and team instability have taken an emotional toll on athletes like Allison and Dowd, who feel marginalized by coaching staff and the university, underscoring persistent systemic issues in gender equity and support for women’s collegiate athletics.