UConn’s Geno Auriemma says Title IX ‘pretty much out the window’

FORT WORTH, Texas — UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma declared on Thursday that, in practice, Title IX legislation is “pretty much out the window. … I think most of the NCAA laws have gone out the window.”

Auriemma, currently in his 41st season coaching the Huskies and just four victories shy of his 13th national championship, was asked whether women’s sports, given their expansion, could now thrive independently of Title IX.

“It appears to me that at the major conference level, I think Title IX legislation is probably over,” Auriemma remarked as his team prepared for Friday’s Sweet 16 showdown against North Carolina. “I’m not sure that when you speak of allocating $20.5 million [per school in revenue sharing payouts], they’re envisioning, ‘Yes, women’s basketball will receive the same allocation as football and men’s basketball.'”

“Certainly, some institutions are diligently striving to adhere to that regarding enrollment figures and scholarship chances for individuals, but when it comes to funding and investing capital into those programs in a manner that would suggest parity, I don’t observe that as frequently as I once did.”

Enacted in 1972, Title IX stands as a pivotal law forbidding sex-based discrimination within educational programs and activities, including athletics, for any entity receiving federal funds.

However, the landscape of college sports has undergone significant changes, particularly since 2021, when athletes gained the right to be compensated financially for their name, image, and likeness.

As of the previous year, universities can now directly compensate athletes. Nevertheless, President Donald Trump’s administration reversed earlier guidance from the Biden-era Department of Education, which had mandated that schools must distribute direct payments to male and female athletes equitably.

This reversal by the Trump administration has generated worries that athletic departments are directing funds towards high-revenue sports like football and men’s basketball, at the expense of women’s and Olympic sports. Several appeals contesting this decision as a violation of Title IX have been filed, but remain unresolved.

“Regrettably, [achieving more equity] will need to occur through how conference commissioners and athletic directors choose to continue financing this sport,” Auriemma stated. “That is the sole path.”

“A primary reason I joined the University of Kentucky was for consistent financial commitment… I’ve coached women’s basketball for 24 years, and it’s been an ongoing struggle to secure consistent investment in the sport,” Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks remarked on Friday. “Not merely financial, but also emotional backing. I observe these young women perform and compete, representing their institutions impeccably, doing everything correctly, and all you desire for them are the same opportunities afforded to their male counterparts. I will persist in advocating for that.”

Auriemma also addressed various other broad issues. He reiterated his disapproval of the two-site regional format in women’s college basketball—a structure scheduled to remain for at least five more seasons—and suggested the sport shouldn’t feel compelled to adopt neutral sites for the tournament’s initial two rounds.

“If you could guarantee that every first- and second-round game, regardless of location, would sell out, then I would endorse it,” Auriemma explained, highlighting that most other college sports allow schools to host postseason contests. “But in reality, they wouldn’t, unless held at specific venues.”

He was also questioned about remarks made by Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack following the Orange’s second-round defeat to the Huskies in Storrs, where she lamented her teams consistently being placed in UConn’s subregional.

“I comprehend her perspective,” Auriemma commented. “While I haven’t served on any of those committees, if you consistently land in the 8-9 seed or 7-8-9 seed range, you’re typically going to face a 1- or 2-seed. Why you repeatedly get the same opponent? That’s a question I cannot answer.”