Ivy League

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Female Swimmers Sue the NCAA, Ivy League and Harvard University

Lia Thomas’ Participation in the 2022 Women’s Ivy League Championships Violated Title IX and Discriminated Against Female Athletes

Former UPenn women’s swimmers sue Ivy League institutions and NCAA alleging push of pro-trans ideology

The women allege UPenn admins encouraged them to seek counseling at the LGBTQ center if they had a problem with Thomas

By Jackson Thompson Fox News, Published February 5, 2025 9:13am EST

EXCLUSIVE: Former University of Pennsylvania women’s swimmers Grace Estabrook, Margot Kaczorowski and Ellen Holmquist have filed a lawsuit against the university, Harvard University, the NCAA and the Ivy League Council of Presidents over their experience sharing a team with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. The lawsuit does not name Thomas as a defendant.

According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Estabrok, Kaczorowski and Holmquist argue that Thomas’ eligibility to compete as a woman for UPenn violated their Title IX rights. It argues the NCAA’s 2010, which allows biological males to compete in the women’s category based on their preferred gender identity, is “discriminatory.”

The women claim that by allowing Thomas to compete, the institutions “injured them and violated federal law.”

The lawsuit also detailed the personal experiences each of the women faced having to share a team and locker room with Thomas. Each of the plaintiffs claims the experience left them “repeatedly emotionally traumatized.”

The plaintiffs allege that the university administrators pushed pro-trans ideology onto them throughout the process of accepting Thomas on the team and in their locker room. The former swimmers say that they were led to feel their concerns over being teammates with Thomas was rooted in a “psychological problem.”

“The UPenn administrators told the women that if anyone was struggling with accepting Thomas’s participation on the UPenn Women’s team, they should seek counseling and support from CAPS and the LBGTQ center,” the lawsuit alleges.

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Collegiate Swimmers File New Lawsuit Against the NCAA, Ivy League and Harvard University

LAS VEGAS – Three former University of Pennsylvania swimmers have filed a new lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Ivy League Conference, and Harvard University citing harassment, abuse, and federal law violations from the 2021-2022 women’s sports season.

The lawsuit—filed February 4, 2025 backed and supported by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) on behalf of swimmers Grace Estabrook, Ellen Holmquist, and Margot Kaczorowski—claims the NCAA and Ivy League fostered a culture of intimidation while forcing young women to deny biology, jeopardizing their opportunities, privacy, and safety. The complaint says these actions violated Title IX and failed to protect female athletes.

“I never expected my Ivy League education to teach me that women must silently accept losing their opportunities and privacy,” said plaintiff Grace Estabrook. “Women’s sports and the leaders who oversee them should not prioritize men’s feelings over fairness and integrity.”

Represented by sports attorney Bill Bock, JD, the lawsuit highlights the NCAA and Ivy League’s decision to allow male swimmer Lia Thomas to compete on the University of Pennsylvania women’s team and access women’s locker rooms during the 2021-2022 season.

“Nearly three years have passed since a man was allowed to join my women’s swim team, and while many of us have tried to move on, nothing has changed,” said plaintiff Ellen Holmquist. “I’ve decided I can no longer stay silent because future generations of female athletes deserve better.”

Plaintiff Margot Kaczorowski also emphasized the broader impact of the case, stating, “This isn’t just about us — it’s about protecting every girl coming up behind us and ensuring my teammates get the chance to earn their place on the women’s record board. Women deserve respect, fairness, and safe spaces in sports. The Ivy League and NCAA must be held accountable.”

This is the third lawsuit backed by ICONS targeting the NCAA and collegiate athletic conferences for alleged Title IX violations and harm to female athletes. In 2024, Riley Gaines and 18 female athletes filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in Georgia. Another lawsuit followed involving a dozen women from five universities in the Mountain West Conference over a male volleyball player’s inclusion on a women’s team.

ICONS leaders said they remain committed to pursuing legal action until the NCAA addresses past harms and corrects the ongoing injustices against female athletes. “The NCAA and Ivy League owe these women apologies, policy reforms, and the restoration of records to honor female accomplishments,” said ICONS Co-Founder and NCAA Champion Swimmer Marshi Smith.

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Meet the Women

Learn more about the female plaintiffs in this case.

Grace Estabrook

University of Pennsylvania
Carmel, Indiana

Grace Estabrook

University of Pennsylvania
Carmel, Indiana

Margot Kaczorowski

University of Pennsylvania
Haddon Heights, New Jersey

William Bock, III, JD

General Council, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency 2007-2020
Lead Attorney in Lance Armstrong Investigation
Litigated Cases at Court of Arbitration for Sport

Legal Team

Bill Bock is a litigator with experience in sports law, athlete eligibility disputes, sports drug testing and Title IX cases. Bill was the General Counsel of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) during 2007-2020. Bill has represented clients in high-profile investigations, litigation, and arbitration throughout the United States. He has represented sports organizations, Fortune 500 companies, governmental agencies, and individuals. Bill has decades of experience in international sports law matters, having conducted international sports doping investigations, been lead counsel in numerous cases before the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, advised international sports organizations and governing bodies, and served as an arbitrator in cases involving the eligibility of international athletes.

Read Bill's WSJ Op-Ed