Regents Deny Discrimination Against Ex-UMD Coaches

DULUTH (AP) - The University of Minnesota Board of Regents denies discriminating against three former Minnesota Duluth coaches.

The regents filed an initial response this week in federal court to a discrimination lawsuit brought against the university in September. Former women's hockey coach Shannon Miller and two others - former women's softball coach Jen Banford and ex-women's basketball coach Annette Wiles - allege they lost their jobs at UMD because they're female and gay.

The lawsuit also alleges the university retaliated against the women for reporting they were harassed by co-workers.

The regents deny discriminating or retaliating against the coaches.

The board noted that Miller was the country's highest paid Division I women's hockey coach, yet UMD has not qualified for the NCAA Tournament in five years.