<\/p>\n
Photo Courtesy of Gannon University<\/p>\n
Gannon University and Ursuline College have filed a federal lawsuit aimed at preventing the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) from removing Ursuline student-athletes from competing in Division II athletics while they complete their degrees.<\/p>\n
The case, filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, claims the conference\u2019s decision violates both its own bylaws and federal Title IX protections. The lawsuit argues the move disproportionately impacts Ursuline\u2019s predominantly female athletic programs, raising concerns about gender-based discrimination.<\/p>\n
Ursuline College is in the process of being acquired by Erie-based Gannon University a move that would create the largest Catholic higher education system along Lake Erie. Despite the transition, Ursuline plans to maintain its independent athletics program.<\/p>\n
Gannon President Walter Iwanenko said the university is committed to supporting Ursuline\u2019s athletes through the uncertainty.<\/p>\n
\u201cGannon has a strong history of supporting athletics, and it is critically important to me that our Ursuline student-athletes, coaches, and staff know that I have their backs and intend to fight for their inclusion in the GMAC,\u201d Iwanenko said.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit follows a 2025 decision by the GMAC\u2019s board to expel Ursuline from the conference. While a waiver allows Ursuline teams to compete through the 2026 to 2027 academic year, a final vote on the college\u2019s appeal has been delayed until mid-July. School officials say that delay has created ongoing uncertainty for athletes, coaches, and staff planning beyond the upcoming season.<\/p>\n
Ursuline Athletic Director Cindy McKnight said the college deserves more transparency and fairness from conference leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a founding and charter member of the GMAC, Ursuline and our coaches and student-athletes deserve better treatment, respect, and transparency than we are receiving from conference leadership and its member presidents,\u201d McKnight said.<\/p>\n
Conference leaders have argued that a potential conflict of interest exists, citing Gannon President Iwanenko\u2019s dual leadership role at both institutions. They contend that holding positions connected to two member schools could present governance concerns, even as Ursuline maintains a separate athletics program.<\/p>\n
However, NCAA officials reviewed and approved the proposed structure earlier this year, and university leaders say similar arrangements exist in other conferences.<\/p>\n
Iwanenko also pointed to broader implications of the GMAC\u2019s decision, suggesting it could affect other institutions facing financial or structural changes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are other private institutions in the GMAC that are struggling, and this decision foreshadows that if an institution merges, it will no longer have a home in the GMAC,\u201d he said. \u201cThat reality should give each member-president and their board pause as they think about their own futures and the precedent they are setting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gannon University is being represented in the case by the law firm Brennan Manna Diamond.<\/p>\n
University officials say the outcome of the lawsuit could have a significant impact not only on Ursuline athletes, but also on how athletic conference\u2019s address institutional partnerships and mergers in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Photo Courtesy of Gannon University Gannon University and Ursuline College have filed a federal lawsuit aimed at preventing…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":233091,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[4642,136,138,137,9677,100699,2676,9678],"class_list":["post-233090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-erie","tag-athletics","tag-erie","tag-erie-headlines","tag-erie-news","tag-gannon-university","tag-gmac","tag-lawsuit","tag-ursuline-college"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/233090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=233090"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/233090\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/233091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=233090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=233090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=233090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}