50 Iowa moments since Title IX: Swimmers’ lawsuit against University of Iowa keeps Hawkeye program alive

Editor’s note: This is 17th in a series counting down the Top 50 moments in Iowa Hawkeyes women’s athletics history in the 50 days leading up to the 50th anniversary of Title IX in June.

Women’s swimming and diving was on the chopping block at Iowa in 2020.

The University of Iowa announced plans to ax the program — along with men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis and men’s swimming and diving — on Aug. 21, 2020, citing financial losses during COVID-19.

The decision left little ambiguity. Athletics director Gary Barta said there “really is no path forward to change this decision.”

A few women’s swimming and diving athletes proved Barta wrong and found a path through the judicial system.

Their lawsuit against the UI — it alleged the university was not complying with Title IX — prompted the athletics department to bring back the sport, even before reaching a settlement.

Barta pointed to “uncertainty that could last several months or even years” because of the pending lawsuit in his statement to media.

The settlement required Iowa to keep the swimming and diving program for at least seven years. It also led to the addition of women’s wrestling as an intercollegiate sport and the implementation of other measures to better comply with Title IX.

The UI later awarded the four swimmers its Jean Y. Jew Women’s Rights Award at its 2022 Celebration of Excellence and Achievement Among Women.

This was not the first time Iowa’s gender equality came up in court. The university paid $6.5 million to former field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum and former associate athletics director Jane Meyer in gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuits. The UI did not admit to any discrimination or retaliation in the settlement.

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