The college denies any wrongdoing and says its programs meet all federal regulations.
By The Associated Press

WATERVILLE – Five female student athletes have filed a federal complaint against Colby College accusing the school of violating Title IX gender equity laws.

Wendy Bonner, Kristin Putnam, Heather DeVito, Adrienne LeClair and Rebecca Avrutin are asking the court to require that Colby College change practices they say fall short of Title IX requirements.

The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Bangor, says the school gives females athletes short shrift because two women’s coaches serve as the coaches of four teams. Heidi Godomsky is the head coach of Colby’s field hockey and women’s lacrosse teams, and Jennifer Holsten is the head coach of the women’s soccer and ice hockey teams.

The students further allege that Colby College provides male athletes with newer and better equipment, that men’s teams are treated better in regard to travel, and that men’s teams are given more locker room space of superior quality.

“For example, the women’s lacrosse team is issued the men’s old football bags for travel,” the complaint reads. “As an additional example, in some cases, the men’s teams receive new uniforms more frequently than the women’s teams.”

Gerrol Crouter, a Portland attorney representing Colby, said the school denies the allegations. The school had not been served with the complaint Wednesday, and has 60 days to respond once it is served.

According to Crouter, Colby has had a system in place since the mid-1990s that assigns a numerical value to each head coaching position. Head coaches in winter sports are given a slightly higher number than spring or fall sports because of a longer season, although both men’s and women’s coaches receive the same number.

“There is no Title IX violation with respect to the coaching issue,” Crouter said. “This system was designed by a gender equity task force to ensure that men’s and women’s sports are treated equally.”

Title IX, a 1972 law credited for huge growth in girls’ and women’s sports, prohibits discrimination based on sex in sports or academics by a school or college that receives federal money.

Bonner plays field hockey, basketball and softball at Colby. Putnam plays field hockey and ice hockey. DeVito is a member of the ice hockey team, while LeClair and Avrutin play field hockey and lacrosse.

They are represented by Samuel Schiller and Ray Yasser of the Schiller Law Firm, a Cookeville, Tenn. firm that specializes in Title IX cases, and Eugene Coughlin, a Bangor lawyer.

Coaches performing multiple duties is a common practice at many small colleges, including Colby. Head coaches in a number of men’s programs at Colby serve as assistants with other teams.

Just one coach, Jim Tortorella, is head coach of two men’s teams, ice hockey and golf.