University of Louisiana at Lafayette softball players have filed discrimination complaints in federal court against the school.

“Following the firing of their coach, the female softball players of University of Louisiana were locked out of their locker room and left with uncertain futures,” Shreveport law firm Allison A. Jones, of Downer, Jones, Marino & Wilhite said today in a news release.

The rest of the statement is below:

Now, those violations are being investigated by the Office of Civil Rights due to efforts by nine former, female softball players to ensure compliance with the law.In November 2017, just weeks after Coach Michael Lotief, one the nation’s most successful softball coaches, informed Administrators of the University of Louisiana Lafayette, that ongoing Title IX violations needed to be remedied, Coach Lotief was fired (for reasons which are now being challenged as pre textual for retaliation).

They have decided to fightback by filing complaints with the Office of Civil Rights for Title IX violations and by threatening litigation.

Nine female softball players, Aleah Craighton, Alyssa Denham, Chelsea Lotief, DoniSanders, Miranda Grotenhuis, Sarah Koeppen, Shae Schreckengost, Kimber Cortemelia and Teryn Haley Pritchett have filed complaints with the Office of Civil Rights alleging that they were deprived of appropriate trainers, comparable playing facilities, equipment and supplies as the same were provided to their similarly situated male athletes.

They further allege that their coaches were denied payment, scholarships were not properly honored, and that, despite their complaints regarding Title IX violations, no appropriate remedial action was taken.

The players have now retained counsel, Allison A. Jones, of the law firm Downer, Jones,Marino & Wilhite, to pursue their claims. Ms. Jones, a well-known civil rights advocate for women, is also representing four female professors, Lise Anne Slatten, Lucy Henke, Patricia Lanier, and Gwen Fontenot, who have filed claims with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging sexual harassment and blatant gender discrimination by University of Louisiana – Lafayette.

Both the softball players and the female professors have stated that they are committed to taking all steps necessary to ensure compliance with the law. Counsel for both echoed that commitment:“The University of Louisiana Lafayette has a shameful record of condoning gender discrimination — for both students and faculty. The University has consistently failed to adopt necessary policies to prevent gender discrimination, has failed to investigate complaints of gender discrimination and, instead, haschosen to engage in a modus operandi of retaliating against any complainant.

Coach Lotief’s case is just one example, and the University’s conduct has extended to the female softball players and female professors – all of whom have only asked that policies of the University simply comply with the law.If University students are being asked to become agents of change, then my clients are prepared to lead the charge.

Each of my clients is committed to seeing gender equity at University of Louisiana Lafayette become a fact.The University’s Administration should: (i) ask serious questions of its Human Resource department and legal counsel; (ii) find a way to resolve all these conflicts as soon as possible; and (iii) immediately begin to support gender equity in all programs. The students and faculty deserve no less.If the current Administration cannot accomplish gender equity, then perhaps a change in the Administration is required.

This afternoon, the university responded to today’s statement with the following: