Former UMD Coaches’ State Claims Dismissed

A judge has granted UMD's request to dismiss a sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit filed by three former coaches

DULUTH, Minn. – A judge has dismissed the state lawsuit filed by three former coaches against the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Shannon Miller, Jen Banford, and Anette Wiles were suing the university for multiple reasons, including discrimination based on their sexual orientation.

Miller won a federal lawsuit against the university in March that awarded her more than $3.7 million after a jury found Miller faced sex discrimination and retaliation at the university when her contract was not renewed.

The dismissal of state claims does not impact the state trial.

The coaches’ state claims were dismissed because the judge found they were filed after the statute of limitations had passed and that they were based on claims that had already been decided at the federal level.

“Today’s a good day. We’re going to relish in this for a little bit right now but it doesn’t change our overall approach to doing what we believe is best for the students, doing what we believe is best for the long term care of the program, and doing our best to ensure that we continue to have an inclusive and welcoming campus community,” said Lynne Williams, UMD Director of Marketing and Public Relations.

The coaches have sixty days to appeal the state court’s decision.

The University of Minnesota is deciding which post-trial motions to file in the federal lawsuit. They could ask the judge to set aside the verdict, ask for a new trial, or ask the judge to reduce the amount awarded to Shannon Miller.