Wagner College has agreed to a Resolution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education to address concerns about its compliance with Title IX, following an investigation into the college’s athletic policies. The Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), together with the Title IX Special Investigations Team operated jointly by the Department and the U.S. Department of Justice, began their inquiry after Stephanie Turner, a female athlete, forfeited a USA Fencing match in protest against competing with a biological male in a female-only category.
“On the heels of our agreement with the University of Pennsylvania, the Trump Administration secured another historic Title IX agreement with Wagner College. After Stephanie Turner, a female athlete, bravely took a knee and forfeited a fencing match against a male competing in a female category, our Office for Civil Rights launched its investigation into Wagner College and the University of Maryland, where the event was hosted. Wagner has agreed to apologize for putting a male on their female fencing team and will revise its policies to comply with Title IX,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Because of President Trump’s leadership, the tide is turning on our nation’s campuses. We commend Wagner College for working with the Department to repair its harm to female athletes and ensuring future generations of women and girls have equal opportunities.”
The agreement requires Wagner College to amend its athletic policy by adopting biology-based definitions for “male” and “female” according to Title IX requirements. The college must issue a public statement affirming compliance with Title IX, clarifying that it will not allow male students to participate in female athletic programs or use facilities designated for females. This statement must be prominently posted on Wagner’s main website as well as each women’s athletics webpage.
Wagner is also required to rescind any previous guidance that allowed males to compete in women’s athletics and revise all internal and public-facing documents that do not align with Title IX regulations. All relevant staff members and women’s athletic teams must be notified about these changes.
Additionally, Wagner will send personalized letters of apology to any affected female fencers at the college and issue a public apology to all female athletes who had competed against male participants in women’s programs.
A review by Wagner determined that no male student athlete who competed in women’s athletics during this period received individual records or recognitions from the college.
The background leading up to this agreement includes an incident during the 2024-2025 season when Wagner allowed a biological male athlete—who had previously been part of the men’s fencing team—to compete on its women’s fencing team at several meets. This athlete won first place at Connecticut Division Junior Olympic Qualifiers in December 2024 while competing in the women's category.
Following Stephanie Turner’s protest at an event hosted by University of Maryland in March 2025, OCR began its directed investigation into whether allowing this participation violated protections for equal opportunity under Title IX. Although this particular match saw participation as an individual entrant, Wagner had permitted him onto their women's team.
After this federal inquiry concluded, USA Fencing changed its policy so that males are no longer allowed to compete in women's categories effective immediately.
Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex within any education program or activity receiving federal funding.
