A former Division I athlete is taking her school to court.
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Alexis Daniel, who played for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's golf team, has filed a lawsuit against the school, its board, and multiple athletic department staff. She claims she suffered a traumatic brain injury during a mandatory workout and was then denied proper medical care.
The Serious Allegations Against University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
According to the lawsuit (per USA Today), Daniel says she was required to complete a workout on March 7, 2025, without any trainers or staff present. She describes it as a no-win situation. Skip the workout and risk losing her scholarship, or go through it in what she calls a dangerous, unsupervised environment.
She chose to participate. That's when, according to the filing, she suffered a "severe and catastrophic" blow to the head.
Daniel says she reached out to an assistant athletic trainer the following day, reporting headaches and visible injuries. She claims she didn't get a response for more than 30 hours and eventually had to drive herself to the emergency room.
From there, things didn't improve.
The lawsuit alleges she had to return home to Kentucky for treatment, paying out of pocket, while the school failed to follow standard concussion protocols. She also claims she didn't receive an in-person evaluation from team medical staff until 22 days after the injury.
More Details on the Accusations Against University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Daniel alleges she lost access to team facilities and medical resources, was isolated from the program, and did not receive the same care as male athletes in similar situations. The lawsuit cites potential violations of Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
She is seeking damages and changes to the school's policies.
UTC declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
