San Diego State Finalizes $1.6M Title IX Settlement With Female Athletes

A federal judge has approved SDSU's $1.6M settlement over Title IX gender equity violations.

On April 20, 2026, U.S. District Judge Todd Robinson gave final approval to a landmark settlement in a class action against San Diego State University (SDSU), requiring $1.6 million in payments and substantial policy changes.

• The lawsuit alleged SDSU deprived female athletes of equal athletic financial aid, violating Title IX. Plaintiffs argued systemic disparities affected scholarship opportunities versus their male counterparts.
• SDSU agreed to pay $300,000 in damages to 798 former female athletes and $1.3 million in attorney fees. Plaintiffs’ attorney Arthur Bryant said, “These women have made history. This is the first case ever in which a school is going to pay damages to women athletes for depriving them of equal athletic financial aid.”
• The university also committed to a Gender Equity Review and a formal Gender Equity Plan by the end of the 2026-2027 academic year—steps designed to ensure full Title IX compliance going forward.
• The settlement mandates SDSU provide equitable nutrition and travel accommodations and undertake significant facility upgrades, including repairing the outdoor track and replacing the women’s lacrosse field turf by the 2027-2028 academic year.

Madison Fisk, a plaintiff and former rower, said, “We are extremely proud we fought SDSU’s sex discrimination against its female athletes and won this ground-breaking settlement.”

This case marks the first time a U.S. university will pay damages for inadequate athletic financial aid to women under Title IX—a signal to educational institutions of the ongoing need to proactively address gender equity or face significant litigation exposure.