In the wake of last year’s Title IX lawsuit against Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, members of the reinstated women’s beach volleyball team have filed a new suit, alleging the university cut them from the team as retaliation.
According to a release from Arthur Bryant Law, the California-based firm representing the athletes, Ryann Allison and Brynn Dowd have filed a lawsuit claiming that they supported or participated in the first Title IX discrimination case against SFA and later they were removed from the women’s beach volleyball team without a reasonable explanation. As a result, they believe the removal was retaliation for their part in the Title IX suit.
Both SFA University and the head beach volleyball coach, Gretchen Hand, are listed as co-defendants in the lawsuit. Hand joined SFA’s athletics department in August 2025 after the courts demanded that SFA continue to support beach volleyball.
According to Sportico, Allison had every intention of competing on the team in the 2026-27 school year, and had been “given every indication” that there was a roster spot for her. However, Allison and Dowd claimed Hand’s attitude changed this spring. Dowd was denied a co-captain’s position — later she was denied a roster spot entirely — and Hand told the team to “move on” from the lawsuit.
By the end of the spring semester, Allison and Dowd had separate conversations with Hand in which they were informed they would not be offered roster spots in the 2026-27 season. They were told the decision had not been made based on skill or ability. No other eligible players were cut from the team.
“Defendant Hand quickly ushered plaintiff Allison out of her office, leaving plaintiff Allison with no understanding of what just happened or why,” the complaint states. “In the span of four minutes, and without even a hint of a warning, plaintiff Allison’s collegiate athletic career was brought to an abrupt end.”
Now, SFA faces the task of proving Hand and the athletics department followed established procedure for terminating an athlete’s roster spot if it wants to disprove the retaliation claims.
