A Hennepin County district judge awarded former University of Minnesota associate head women’s golf coach Katie Brenny nearly $360,000 on Tuesday, ruling that Brenny was subject to disparate treatment from former Director of Golf John Harris based on her sexual orientation, according to reports from Star Tribune and Pioneer Press.
Judge Thomas Sipkins awarded Brenny $334,000 for lost wages based on the University’s conduct and another $25,000 for mental anguish, according to the Star Tribune report.
The University hired Brenny on Aug. 30, 2010, according to her January 2011 lawsuit, but Harris kept her from meeting and traveling with the team as well as providing instruction. Brenny resigned in October 2010, after then-athletics director Joel Maturi told her that her choices were to quit or comply with Harris’ demands, according to the complaint.
Harris resigned as Director of Golf in June 2011.
Brenny now works for The First Tee of Metropolitan New York. A graduate of Little Falls High School, she played collegiate golf at Wake Forest before a brief professional career.