Sports briefs
Women’s national
soccer team files suit
Three months before beginning their defense of their Women’s World Cup title, American players escalated their legal dispute with the U.S. Soccer Federation over equal treatment and pay.
Players filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the federation Friday, alleging ongoing “institutionalized gender discrimination” that includes unequal pay with their counterparts on the men’s national team.
The women’s team has often championed equal rights issues and sought more equitable pay during collective bargaining two years ago.
The 28 members of the current women’s player pool filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, was filed on International Women’s Day.
Players seek damages that include back pay.
“We believe it is our duty to be the role models that we’ve set out to be and fight to what we know we legally deserve,” forward Christen Press told the Associated Press. “And hopefully in that way it inspires women everywhere.”
Penn State fires
women’s hoops coach
Penn State parted ways Friday with women’s basketball coach Coquese Washington after 12 seasons.
The Lady Lions completed a 12-18 season with a 65-57 loss to Wisconsin this week in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Washington won three consecutive conference crowns from 2012-14. But after posting a 16-16 mark last season the Lady Lions were even worse this season – a swoon that sealed her fate. Athletic director Sandy Barbour issued a statement, saying both sides knew the program wasn’t where it needed to be and a change was needed. Washington also issued a statement, thanking the school for the opportunity.
The former Notre Dame star and WNBA player went 209-169 during her tenure and made four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Cal’s Means set record, on to finals
California University senior Jae’Len Means broke his own school record and advanced to the finals of the 200-meter dash on Friday evening at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in Pittsburgh, Kan.
Means qualified for the finals in the 200 meters by placing seventh overall in the preliminaries. He ran 21.33 and reset his own school record in the event for the third time this season. He improved his record time by over one-tenth of a second.
College baseball
Waynesburg ended its spring trip with a 6-4 record after splitting a doubleheader with John Carroll.
John Carroll won the opener 10-3 but Waynesburg rallied to score two runs in the seventh inning to win the second game, 2-1.
Winning pitcher Mason Miller threw a complete game for Waynesburg. He struck out nine and improved his record to 2-0. Tanner Hudak scored on a sacrifice fly by Alec Fantaskey for the game-winning run.
- Tyler Eritz pitched six shutout innings and California scored five runs in the fourth inning en route to a 10-0 victory over West Virginia State in Wilson, N.C.
The Vulcans improved their record to 6-1.
Patrick Brogan hit a home run and drove in three for the Vulcans.