Ex-Cal women’s soccer player sues school after getting cut from team

A former Cal women’s soccer player filed a civil lawsuit against the college and her former coach, alleging gender discrimination in violation of Title IX after she was dismissed from the team.

Renee Thomas, a sophomore from Laguna Beach whose attorney pointed out was named the Bears’ most improved player last year, is claiming she was unjustly dropped from the soccer team in April by coach Neil McGuire.

The lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court in Oakland by Thomas’ attorney, noted civil rights lawyer Dan Siegel, seeks punitive damages as well as Thomas’ reinstatement to the women’s team.

A Cal athletic department spokesman said the school would have a response later in the day.

Thomas, who turned down a scholarship to play at the University of Colorado after starring at Laguna Beach High two years ago, was one of five non-scholarship women’s players released from Cal’s team, court documents show.

Thomas played both forward and defender last year for Cal, which suffered its worst season under McGuire in 2018, going 5-12-2. The women’s team failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in the coach’s 12 years in Berkeley. Thomas had more playing time than any of the other four women cut, appearing in 12 of the Bears’ 19 games last year while scoring one goal and registering one assist. She and the others were dropped from the team at the same time by McGuire, four months before the Bears’ current season.

Siegel is alleging a Title IX violation by the school, including McGuire and athletic director Jim Knowlton, saying Smith “was not treated similarly as male athletes who played soccer.” Her attorney said it’s uncommon for players to be released, let alone five women being let go while just one seldom-used player was dismissed from the men’s team.

“We just think it’s unbelievable that a player with her talent and success would be released in a situation like that,” Siegel said. “We think there’s something going on here that we don’t know about and we’re gonna find out.”

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