University of Wisconsin Athletes Raise Title IX Concerns Around Planned Indoor Practice Facility

Student-athletes at the University of Wisconsin are raising concerns that a planned indoor practice facility could potentially be in violation of Title IX. 

According to WKOW, the project costs $285 million and is the largest capital project in UW Athletics history. It includes replacing the Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center (The Shell) and the 80-yard football practice field in the McClain Center.

The UW currently supports 23 athletics programs and around 800 student-athletes, some of whom say the planned facility is in violation of Title IX. 

Stef Strack, the founder and CEO of VOICEINSPORT Foundation, which advocates for women in athletics, has raised concerns about the school's plans. 

"If you look at the '22 to '23 numbers, there's 53 roster spots that potentially are being missed for women's opportunities at the University of Wisconsin, and then on the scholarship dollar side, it's up to $738,000 a year just in that one year alone that was not provided to women athletes," Strack told WKOW. 

Strack said that while the data she has can't necessarily indicate whether a school is in violation of Title IX, it's worth paying attention to. 

"We have to work back with the school to get today's data and then evaluate to see if they truly are providing the right equal opportunities and participation in scholarship dollars," she said.