The NCAA and a New York state university argue they did not violate New York state's antidiscrimination law by not allowing a transgender sprinter to compete in a women's track event, telling a state court that she could have still participated in the race if she had been willing to run in the male category.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association and the State University of New York, College at Geneseo filed motions on Monday seeking to dismiss two lawsuits by Sadie Schreiner. The athlete claims they ran afoul of the New York State Human Rights Law by prohibiting her from competing in the women's 200-meter and 400-meter races at the SUNY Geneseo Early Season Invitational.

The NCAA said it can't be held liable for "aiding and abetting" in the alleged discrimination because SUNY didn't engage in discrimination. Specifically, it argues that the college didn't block Schreiner from participating completely; rather it offered her the option to run as a male.

"Her allegations make clear that plaintiff was not denied use of Geneseo's facilities; instead; she chose not to use the facilities because she could not use them in the way she preferred," the NCAA said in its motion to dismiss.

As for Geneseo, it argues that it didn't violate the human rights law because the statute only protects those who are "otherwise qualified" to participate in an activity. Schreiner didn't meet this criterion because the NCAA policy on who could participate made clear that an "individual assigned male at birth" can't compete in a woman's event, the school said.

"In short, under [the NCAA] participation policy, individuals 'assigned male at birth' — such as plaintiff — cannot compete in an 'NCAA women's' event, regardless of their current gender identity," the school said.

"Accordingly, she was not 'otherwise qualified' to run in the NCAA women's category and cannot bring a discrimination claim," it said.

Aside from dismissing Schreiner's claims that the NCAA and Geneseo violated New York's human rights law, they also seek the dismissal of her intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy claims.

This is not the only discrimination litigation Schreiner, who transitioned during high school, has filed against institutions of higher education.

She earlier competed at the Rochester Institute of Technology and won a bronze medal at the women's NCAA Division III nationals in 2024. But Schreiner was blocked by Princeton University on May 3 from participating in an open meet, according to a discrimination lawsuit she filed in New Jersey state court.

School officials there removed her from the starting lineup shortly before the race was set to begin because she was a trans woman, the suit said. They suggested putting her in a separate, segregated event, the suit said.

Schreiner's lawsuits against the NCAA and Geneseo claim she attempted to register in two women's races at the invitational as an "unattached" athlete, meaning not competing for any university, the suit said. Christopher Popovici, head coach track and field coach at Geneseo and a defendant in the suit, told her via email on March 31 that she couldn't compete in the race, explicitly pointing to NCAA policy.

Popovici offered her to compete as a man or in an exhibition event where she would compete by herself, the suit said.

Schreiner claims that this action violated Section 296 of the state's human rights law, which prohibits discrimination based on gender including "the status of being transgender."

The college additionally argues that the law in question only prohibits institutions of higher education from discriminating against students or applicants.

"Finding that the statute applies to all individuals, rather than only students or applicants, would be contradictory to the clear intention of the legislature," Geneseo argued. "The educational institution provision is not intended to apply to anyone and everyone who physically enters or otherwise interacts with an educational institution."

The college argues that Schreiner's claim fails for another reason: The human rights law, as she seeks to apply it, only covers a place of "public accommodation," and under the statute a public university such as itself is not such a place.

The NCAA argues that it can't be held liable for aiding and abetting in violation of the human rights law because Geneseo, which is alleged to have committed discrimination, is not named as a defendant in the same complaint.

"New York law is well established that a defendant cannot be held liable for aiding and abetting a violation of the Human Rights Law 'where, as here, no violation of the Human Rights Law by another party has been established,'" the NCAA said.

The NCAA is represented by Christopher Maugans of Goldberg Segalla LLP.

Geneseo is represented by Michael J. Masino and Alexander J. Fantauzzo of Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC.

Schreiner is represented by Susan M. Cirilli of Spector Gadon Rosen and Vinci PC.

The cases are Schreiner v. New York State et al., case number E25-6526, in the State of New York Court of Claims Rochester District, and Schreiner v. National Collegiate Athletic Association et al., case number 000884-2025, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Livingston.

--Editing by Adam LoBelia.