Female college football coach sues Ohio Dominican University under Title IX, alleging assault and retaliation

A female college football coach has filed a Title IX sex-discrimination lawsuit against Ohio Dominican University in federal court in Ohio, alleging that a player assaulted her and that she faced retaliation after she reported the incident. The complaint frames the case not only as a response to sexual misconduct, but also as an institutional failure to prevent further harm and to protect her once she raised concerns, according to the reporting.

Title IX lawsuits in athletics typically center on whether a school responded appropriately to allegations of sex discrimination or sexual harassment. In this case, the coach’s filing ties the alleged assault to a broader claim that the university’s conduct after the report amounted to unlawful discrimination or retaliation.

Ohio Dominican University, a member of the broader college athletics ecosystem, has not been established through the information available here as having publicly confirmed or disputed the allegations. As in most civil cases, the allegations in a complaint are not findings. The lawsuit will proceed through the federal court process, where the university will have the opportunity to respond and where the facts will be tested.

The case also highlights a recurring pressure point in college football coaching: the power imbalance and reporting barriers that can exist between student-athletes and staff. Title IX claims often focus on the steps a school takes after notice, including whether reporting channels are accessible, whether investigators act promptly, and whether there is a measurable shift in treatment that could deter other employees or students from coming forward.

For college football programs, the stakes go beyond one staff member. If the complaint’s allegations are sustained, they could lead to court-ordered remedies and increased scrutiny of athletic compliance practices, training protocols, and oversight. Even when cases are ultimately resolved, they often prompt universities to reassess how they handle reports involving athletes and staff, especially in environments where physical contact and hierarchical structures are common.

What to watch next is how the court handles early stages of the litigation, including any motions to dismiss and the scope of claims that will move forward. The university’s response, and any subsequent disclosures in the docket, will be central to determining which factual issues are actually in dispute. The case will also be watched by other coaches and administrators across college athletics as it unfolds, given the continuing national focus on Title IX compliance in sports.