Prairie View fires head coach Dawn Brown over Title IX issue

DAWN BROWN

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M announced Tuesday evening that Dawn Brown will not return as women’s basketball coach next season. Brown said she was fired for allegedly violating Title IX by enforcing a team rule that she says was approved by the school’s Title IX coordinator.

“Clearly, I feel betrayed and unjustly penalized by this action,” Brown said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

Prairie View A&M athletics director Ashley Robinson declined comment through a school spokesperson.

Brown removed two members of her team during the season for having a dating relationship. She said the relationship broke a team rule that she put in place before the season. The rule said: “Players may not have nonprofessional relationships with other players, coaches, managers, trainers, or any other persons affiliated” with the program.

The former players filed a complaint that said their dismissal was based on sexual orientation and that it violated Title IX, the law that bans discrimination based on sex at schools receiving federal funds.

CONTINUE READING