A U.S. District Court judge has barred Concordia University Irvine from eliminating the school’s women’s swimming and diving, and women’s tennis programs or any other women’s varsity team during the 2025-26 academic year.
Judge Fred W. Slaughter granted a preliminary injunction on Friday preventing the Irvine Division II university from dropping the women’s programs. The injunction came five months after Concordia announced it was dropping its men’s and women’s tennis and swimming programs at the end of the 2024-25 academic year as part of what the school characterized as a “strategic restructuring.”
In granting the injunction, Slaughter also ordered that “To the extent that those teams have already been eliminated, CUI shall immediately reinstate them, and provide the teams with funding, staffing, and all other benefits commensurate with their status as varsity intercollegiate teams.”
The injunction, Slaughter ordered, will remain in place “for the duration of this case or until further order of this court.”
Nine female Concordia athletes, seven members of the swimming and diving program and two tennis players, are suing the university in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that by dropping the women’s sports programs, the school is “violating Title IX by depriving women of equal opportunities to participate in intercollegiate athletics.”
Women made up 59% of Concordia’s undergraduates in 2024-25, but received only 51.2% of the opportunities to participate in varsity sports, according to Arthur Bryant, an attorney for the Concordia athletes, citing what he described as publicly available information.
“The court’s thorough, compelling decision confirms what we said from the start: CUI’s decision to eliminate the women’s swimming and diving and tennis teams was a flagrant violation of Title IX,” Bryant said.
Ann M. Ashmon, the school’s associate vice president of strategic communications, said in a statement, “Concordia University Irvine will comply with the judge’s ruling while the litigation is in process.”
Concordia announced on May 20 that it was dropping the four sports.
“The decision follows a comprehensive evaluation of the university’s academic and athletic offerings, resource allocation, and long-term strategic priorities,” Concordia said in a statement released at the time of the announcement. “University leadership, in partnership with the Department of Athletics, determined that the current model is not sustainable in the midst of increasing operational costs, facility limitations, and significant changes in the collegiate athletics landscape.”
Crystal Rosenthal, associate vice president and director of athletics, at the time estimated the move would save the university $550,000.
“This decision is in no way a reflection of their performance or commitment. It is a necessary step to address broader challenges and to ensure a sustainable future for the university,” Rosenthal said in a statement at the time.
Rosenthal did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
But the program cuts came at a time when Concordia was committed to investing in a $25.5 million plan to upgrade the university’s athletic infrastructure.
The Concordia athletes allege in their lawsuit that the move was a violation of Title IX and “sadly, consistent with CUI’s history of sex discrimination in its intercollegiate athletic program … since at least 2004.”
Rosenthal has testified, according to court documents, that Concordia’s Title IX analysis was done “only (by) (her) self.” When asked by an attorney, “[a]t the end of the day when it was decided swimming, diving, and tennis were going to be eliminated” from among all of the teams considered for elimination, “did you do any formal Title IX analysis?” Rosenthal testified, “No.”
In a follow-up question, Rosenthal was asked, “Okay. So just sort of your back-of-the-envelope analysis based on your understanding of the numbers?”
“Yeah — yes,” Rosenthal answered.
“This decision shows why women have to fight for the equality the law requires – and what they can accomplish when they do,” said Alexandra Grant, a sophomore on the women’s swimming and diving team and a plaintiff in the case. “We are devoted to enforcing Title IX and grateful for the Court’s decision. My teammates and I are eager to get back in the water as soon as possible.”