# Ryann Allison Cut from Beach Volleyball Team

> Ryann Allison, a top college beach volleyball player, was abruptly cut from Stephen F. Austin State University’s team after a Title IX lawsuit.
- Title: Ryann Allison Cut from Beach Volleyball Team · Slate Magazine
- Summary: Ryann Allison, a top college beach volleyball player, was abruptly cut from Stephen F. Austin State University’s team after a Title IX lawsuit. Ryann Allison…
- Keywords: ryann allison, brynn dowd, stephen f. austin state university, title ix, beach volleyball, nfl, college sports, lumberjacks, ladyjacks, university of texas, sfa, gretchen hand
- Source: Slate Magazine — https://slate.com/culture/2026/09/title-ix-law-womens-sports-girls-beach-volleyball.html?via=rss
- Author: Maggie Mertens
- Published: 2026-09-29T09:35:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: ryann allison, brynn dowd, stephen f. austin state university, title ix, beach volleyball, nfl, college sports, lumberjacks, ladyjacks, university of texas, sfa, gretchen hand
## Ryann Allison
Ryann Allison is a senior at Stephen F. Austin State University in rural East Texas who was abruptly cut from the beach volleyball team.
## Team Cut
Allison was informed in May that she would not be renewed for next year and was no longer a fit for the beach volleyball team.
## Retaliation Suspected
Allison and her teammate Brynn Dowd suspect retaliation after the school cut their beach volleyball program in May 2025.
## Program Cuts
Stephen F. Austin State University cut its beach volleyball program in May 2025 after its most successful season with 22 wins.
## Title IX Lawsuit
Allison and 39 other athletes filed a Title IX lawsuit claiming the school violated gender equity by cutting women’s sports teams.
## Title IX Report
A Title IX report found women made up 63 percent of SFA undergrads but received only 40 percent of athletic roster spots.
## School Response
SFA claimed the Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright v. Raimondo negated the Title IX three-prong test, but the lawsuit argues they violated the law.
## Legal Battle
The lawsuit claims SFA’s cuts increased its Title IX violations, while the school argues the cuts were financially motivated.
## Team Reinstatement
The team was reinstated after a preliminary injunction but quickly lost most players to transfers.
## Coaching Change
New coach Gretchen Hand took over the team but quickly sidelined Allison and Dowd from leadership roles.
## Season Struggles
The team finished with a 6, 22 record and Allison was named to the Southland Conference’s All-Academic Team.
## Final Cut
Allison and Dowd were cut from the team after the season despite being key players in the Title IX lawsuit.
## Title IX Impact
Title IX has helped women’s sports grow but compliance remains uneven, with many schools cutting women’s programs.
## Future Concerns
Allison and Dowd fear their careers as athletes are over after being cut, with no clear path to continue playing.
## Systemic Issues
Women’s college athletes earn less than 10 percent of men’s NIL deals and face three times the online harassment.
## What Happens Next
The Title IX lawsuit is due to go to trial in December, but Allison and Dowd say their college sports careers are over.
## Key takeaway

Ryann Allison and Brynn Dowd were removed from Stephen F. Austin State University’s beach volleyball team despite being key players in a Title IX lawsuit against the school.