ECU Restores Women's Sports Teams Under Threat Of Lawsuit

East Carolina University is restoring two of its women's teams which were cut last spring for budget problems compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. News outlets reports Thursday's announcement follows word that athletes were threatening a gender discrimination lawsuit. ECU Athletics Director Jon Gilbert says the school expected to save about $2.6 million by eliminating the women's swimming and diving teams as well as the women's tennis team and two other programs. Gilbert says reinstating the two women’s teams will leave the department with about $1.2 million in savings. The school also paid a $189,000 settlement to an attorney's office to avoid the litigation.