'Taking this very seriously.' Judge needs more time to decide on fate of Quinnipiac women's rugby team
The judge called the school's rollout of the plan to cut the team "pathetic."
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A federal judge needs more time to decide if Quinnipiac University's women's rugby team can temporarily maintain varsity status while a lawsuit challenging the program's demotion to club level presses forward.
Back in April, the school announced it would be downgrading the storied program to cut costs and remain in compliance with Title IX.
Earlier this month, 23 current and future players filed a lawsuit against the university, claiming it violated Title IX law when it eliminated the varsity team and allegedly did so as retaliation for equality complaints brought up by longtime Quinnipiac University women's rugby coach Becky Carlson over the years.
This week featured several days of testimony.
On Friday, attorneys on both sides made closing arguments for hours at federal court in Bridgeport.
Attorney Lori Bullock, one of the lawyers representing the women's rugby team, spoke with reporters after court was adjourned.
"We always want careful, reasoned decisions from judges as attorneys," Bullock says. "We want the judge to take whatever time she needs to make that decision. We appreciate that she's taking this seriously because it's a very important case to us."
While the university says it can't comment on pending litigation, it has maintained that the decision to eliminate the women's rugby team was difficult, but necessary.
On Friday, the judge called the school's rollout of the plan to cut the team "pathetic."
A temporary injunction would allow the team to temporarily maintain its varsity status while the lawsuit moves forward.
Bullock says current and future members of the team are remaining hopeful that Tuesday's decision will be a positive one from the judge.
"We got the opportunity to put on our case, and take the time that we needed. I've done a lot of these TRO hearings around the country for specifically women's athletic programs, and that's not always the case," Bullock says. "People continue to care about equity in college athletics, and we're just really grateful we had this opportunity."
The judge is expected to give a written decision by Tuesday in the matter of the temporary injunction.
