College equestrians sue UC Davis after women’s team axed
More than a dozen former UC Davis women's equestrian team members filed a class action seeking roughly $1.4 million, alleging the university has shortchanged female athletes on athletic financial aid since 2017-18 in violation of Title IX. The suit follows the university's decision nine months ago to downgrade the NCAA Division I women's equestrian team to a club sport, based on a third-party assessment that also found the aid imbalance.
The plaintiffs say male athletes were overpaid while women received less than their proportional share, and that none of them received all the aid for which they were eligible. They also allege the team learned of its downgrade through a public press release, at the same time a stunt team was elevated to Division I status.
Plaintiff Carmen Gonzalez said she chose UC Davis specifically for its equestrian program, while Anna Donovan said she considered transferring but found no open roster spots elsewhere. A university representative said officials believe they are compliant with Title IX.
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