University of Pennsylvania Agrees to Bar Transgender Women from Women’s Sports Teams, Remove Lia Thomas’s Records
The University of Pennsylvania has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education to bar transgender women from competing on its women’s sports teams and to remove former student Lia Thomas’s records. Thomas, a transgender woman, made history as the first to win an NCAA Division I national championship.
This resolution follows a federal investigation that concluded Penn violated Title IX—the law prohibiting sex-based discrimination—by allowing Thomas to compete on the women’s swim team during the 2021–22 season. Under the agreement, the university must reassign Thomas’s titles to the next-place finishers and issue personal apologies to each affected female athlete.
The NCAA, which governs college sports at over 1,000 institutions, has not commented on whether it will also revoke Thomas’s 2022 championship. In February, shortly after President Trump signed an executive order opposing “male competitive participation in women’s sports,” the NCAA implemented a ban on transgender women competing in women’s college athletics.
NCAA President Charlie Baker, a former Republican governor of Massachusetts, testified in December that fewer than ten transgender athletes were competing at the time.
The agreement also requires Penn—Trump’s alma mater—to publicly affirm its compliance with the administration’s interpretation of Title IX and adopt biology-based definitions of “male” and “female.” The university must display this statement prominently on its main website and women’s athletics pages.
Thomas, who previously held three Penn women’s swimming freestyle records, has not commented on the decision. Her legal representative in a previous case challenging World Aquatics’ restrictions on transgender athletes also did not respond to media inquiries.
President Trump signed an order on his first day back in office stating that the federal government recognizes only two unchangeable biological sexes.
In its statement, Penn affirmed it would follow the Education Department’s interpretation of Title IX. The university said it would not discriminate against female students and promised separate and equal locker rooms and facilities based on sex.
Penn President J. Larry Jameson emphasized the university’s ongoing dedication to creating an inclusive environment but noted its obligation to comply with federal mandates and NCAA rules.
“This is a complex issue,” Jameson said in a letter to the university community. “While Penn followed NCAA eligibility rules during the 2021–2022 season, we acknowledge that some student-athletes may have been disadvantaged. We recognize this and will apologize to those affected.”
He warned that if the federal investigation had not been resolved, it could have led to long-term consequences for the university. In March, the administration threatened to suspend \$175 million in federal contracts over Thomas’s participation.
Jennifer Bing, vice president of advancement at the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, criticized the agreement, calling it a troubling result of political pressure.
“This administration’s use of threats to undermine basic equality is deeply concerning,” Bing said. “We’re disappointed to see a prestigious institution like Penn concede to these demands and hope they reconsider.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised the decision as a win for women and girls.
“This is another example of the Trump effect in action,” McMahon said Tuesday. “It’s a significant victory not just for UPenn, but for women and girls nationwide. We commend the university for taking steps to correct its past actions and will continue enforcing Title IX to its fullest extent.”
