Rene Portland resigned March 21 as Penn State University women's basketball coach, ending a highly successful, yet highly-controversial, 27-year reign.
She had two years left on her contract.
Portland compiled a 606-236 record, and earlier this season became the ninth women's basketball coach to win 600 games at one school. Penn State played in 21 NCAA tournaments under Portland and advanced to the Final Four in 2000. She won five Big Ten conference championships and two conference tournament titles.
However, Portland also faced several discrimination allegations. The most recent one was settled in February from a lawsuit by former player Jennifer Harris, who claimed Portland had a 'no-lesbian' policy on her team.
Late last year, Harris accused Portland of 'humiliating, berating and ostracizing' her, and claimed she was told she needed to look 'more feminine.' The suit alleged Portland tried to force Harris—who says she is not gay—to leave the team.
Portland maintained Harris' departure was purely related to basketball issues and disagreed with the school's findings. Harris averaged 10.4 points for the Lady Lions in 2004-05, third-best on the team, before transferring to James Madison.
Penn State athletic director Tim Curley spoke last week at a press conference, and told reporters that Portland was not forced to resign. He deferred when asked what impact the Harris lawsuit had on the program, citing confidentiality requirements associated with the settlement.
'It was time; her time was up. I think it's a step up, a step forward,' said Marcia Hill, president of the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association ( CMSA ) , who was 'thrilled' with Portland's resignation.
Harris claimed last year in federal court that Portland had a policy of 'no drinking, no drugs, no lesbians.' Harris initially sought more than $1.1 million in compensatory damages from Portland and the university, plus unspecified punitive damages and other conditions.
'Oh, that's too bad, so sad,' Yvette Holt said with an obvious tone of sarcasm. Holt, 42, is the commissioner of the Windy City Athletic Association's women's basketball league and a former team caption at Chicago State University in the mid-1980s. 'It's been a long time coming. I think she was pretty stubborn and just trying to defy all of her critics because it was so obvious that she was in the dark ages. I'm not sorry to see her go, not at all.'
In 1986, Portland reportedly told the Chicago Sun-Times that she did not allow lesbians to play on her team.
