A Washington teenage wrestler and her mother have sued state athletics and school officials, alleging the girl had to wrestle a male opponent who identifies as “trans” in a girls’ tournament without notice before the opponent allegedly sexually assaulted her during the match.
The verified complaint, filed June 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, identifies the student as K.M.K., a Rogers High School sophomore in the Puyallup School District.
The Dallas Express is identifying the student by the initials used in the lawsuit because she is a minor who alleges sexual assault.
The lawsuit names the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, Puyallup School District, district Title IX Coordinator Dr. Gordon Brobbey, Rogers High School Principal Jason Smith, and Emerald Ridge High School wrestling coach John Morrison as defendants.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
Alleged Assault During Match
The complaint says K.M.K., then 15, competed on December 6, 2025, in the Lady Jag Kickoff wrestling tournament at Emerald Ridge High School. The lawsuit describes the event as a WIAA-sponsored and district-sponsored tournament for girls wrestling.
According to the complaint, K.M.K. and her mother understood the opponent to be a girl when coaches and tournament officials directed her to take the mat.
The lawsuit alleges that during the second period, the opponent reached between K.M.K.’s legs and digitally penetrated her through her wrestling uniform for several seconds, causing pain and distress.
The complaint says K.M.K. tried to push the opponent away before allowing herself to be pinned so the match would end.
After the match, a coach from another district team told K.M.K. that her opponent was male, according to the complaint. The lawsuit says K.M.K. had already planned to report the alleged assault before learning the opponent’s sex.
Report To School
K.M.K.’s mother, Stephanie Brown, emailed school officials on December 8 and reported that her daughter had unknowingly wrestled a male opponent and had been sexually assaulted, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit says Brown later provided a video of the match to a coach.
The complaint alleges that school officials did not report the matter to law enforcement until January 30, after the media contacted the district, despite Washington’s mandatory reporting requirements.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into Puyallup School District in February based on reports that a male competitor sexually assaulted a female wrestler during a competition designated as a women’s wrestling event.
The federal agency said at the time that it would review whether the district violated Title IX by allowing males to compete in female sports, allowing males to access locker rooms designated for female students, and failing to respond to allegations of sexual assault adequately.
Title IX And Parental Rights
The complaint brings Title IX claims tied to athletics, sexual assault, harassment, and a hostile environment. It also brings Fourteenth Amendment claims over equal protection, parental rights, and state-created danger.
The lawsuit argues Washington athletics and school policies allowed a male athlete to compete in girls wrestling without notice to K.M.K. or Brown. It also argues that those policies prevented Brown from deciding whether her daughter should wrestle a male opponent.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s 2025-26 handbook says athletes may participate in programs consistent with their “gender identity” or the gender most consistently expressed.
The lawsuit also alleges K.M.K. faced hostility at school after media coverage of the case. The complaint says one student mocked the incident as an “oil check,” a term the lawsuit describes as flagrant misconduct involving digital penetration of an opponent to shock the opponent and gain an advantage.
The case comes amid continued national debate over Title IX, girls’ sports, and student privacy. In Texas, Carroll ISD leaders recently said their own Title IX fight was nearing final resolution, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
What The Lawsuit Seeks
The plaintiffs ask the court to bar male athletes from competing against K.M.K. in girls’ wrestling, girls’ soccer, or other girls’ sports involving contact or competitive athletic skill.
The lawsuit also seeks parental notice and opt-out rights when K.M.K. would face a male opponent, correction of certain athletic records, and damages.
The complaint says K.M.K. has not participated in WIAA or district-sponsored sports since the alleged assault because of safety concerns, lack of notice, and what the lawsuit describes as a hostile environment.
