The Department of Education announced that the University of Pennsylvania has agreed to resolve Title IX violations related to allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete on the women's team during the 2021-22 season.

As part of the resolution deal, Penn will adopt definitions for male and female consistent with biological sex; restore stolen records and titles to female athletes; and, issue personal apologies to each impacted female swimmer.

One of those swimmers is Paula Scanlan, a teammate of Thomas who has previously expressed the emotional distress she suffered from being forced to change with a biological male in the women's locker room for an entire season. 

Paula Scanlan, former University of Pennsylvania swimmer and teammate of Lia Thomas, testifies during the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Limited Government hearing on gender-affirming care for children.

(Jasper Colt/USA TODAY via Imagn Images)

"I am deeply grateful to the Trump administration for standing firm in protecting women and girls and restoring our rightful accolades," Scanlan told OutKick. "It is because of their strong leadership that my alma mater now knows it has no choice but to begin the process of reforming its policies to uphold women’s rights. Today marks a momentous step toward repairing the past mistreatment of female athletes and forging a future where sex discrimination no longer limits girls’ potential."

In April, the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights ruled that the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX by allowing Thomas to compete on the women's team. 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said at the time that Penn could face financial consequences if they don't comply. While Penn is a private school, it received about $1 billion in federal funds in 2024, according to WHYY. 

Unlike the state of Maine, which continues to fight the federal government despite also being found in violation of Title IX, Penn made the appropriate decision to stop allowing males to compete in women's athletics. 

"Today’s resolution agreement with Penn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the University for future generations of female athletes," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. 

"Today is a great victory for women and girls, not only at the University of Pennsylvania, but all across our nation. The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls, and we will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX’s proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law." 

The University of Pennsylvania agreed to resolve its Department of Education Title IX violations related to allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete on the women's team.

(Paul Rutherford/Imagn Images)

McMahon also spoke to OutKick about the resolution and emphasized the importance of Penn both apologizing to its female athletes and erasing Thomas' "records" from the books and restoring them to the women who earned them. 

"[We wanted] to make sure that it was emphasized that this was wrong and the university didn't take the right kind of action and to apologize to these women for putting them in situations where they could have been hurt or where they would have lost opportunity or where they might have had their dignity impugned because they had to change in private spaces in front of males… So I think an apology was absolutely warranted," McMahon said. 

"One of the big things that is happening with this resolution is that the University of Pennsylvania is going to restore all the Division I women's records and titles or similar recognitions to the women who actually did win them, save for competing against a man, and I think that is a really big thing," the Secretary added. 

While McMahon wasn't able to comment on the ongoing investigations into Title IX violations by Maine, California and Minnesota, she did note that she hopes the Penn resolution will encourage those states to comply with federal law. 

"[That's] certainly our hope, and as we continue our investigations, we'll be using this resolution as a model to go by," she said. 

OutKick reached out to the University of Pennsylvania for comment on the resolution. 

"Yesterday, Penn and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) resolved a February 2025 investigation into Penn's compliance with Title IX for women’s athletics. This is a complex issue, and I am pleased that we were able to reach a resolution through the standard OCR process for concluding Title IX investigations," a University spokesperson said. 

"Our commitment to ensuring a respectful and welcoming environment for all of our students is unwavering. At the same time, we must comply with federal requirements, including executive orders, and NCAA eligibility rules, so our teams and student-athletes may engage in competitive intercollegiate sports." 

Riley Gaines, host of the OutKick podcast "Gaines for Girls" and one of the most influential pro-woman voices in the country, told OutKick that Tuesday's resolution is further proof that President Trump and his government agencies are committed to a pro-woman agenda. 

The University of Pennsylvania agreed to resolve its Department of Education Title IX violations related to allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete on the women's team.

(Getty Images)

"From day one, President Trump and Secretary McMahon made it clear that protecting women and girls is a top priority—and today’s agreement with UPenn is proof of that commitment in action," Gaines said. 

Gaines, who tied Thomas for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, added that the Penn resolution should send a clear message to colleges and universities across the country. 

"This Administration isn’t just talking about women’s equality, but instead actively defending it. I hope this sends a clear message to educational institutions: you can no longer disregard women’s civil rights. And to every female athlete, know this: your dignity, safety, and fairness matter, and our nation’s leaders will not stop fighting for them."