Gender equality has been a long standing issue in the United States, and while progress has been made, this issue still persists in society today. One of the primary contributors to this problem has been the wage gap between males and females. Historically, males have been compensated considerably more than their female counterparts. There is a long list of people who have worked to combat this problem with protests, court cases and the like. Add Edinboro volleyball coach Melissa Soboleski to that long list.

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Soboleski filed to sue Edinboro University about a month ago, claiming that there is a large pay disparity between coaches of different genders in ‘Tier 1’ sports. She also stated that she was shut down by university officials after contesting the pay disparity on a few occasions. Despite her 12 year tenure, her team’s eight playoff appearances and owning the record for most head coaching wins in Edinboro women’s volleyball history, Soboleski is paid almost 50 percent less than some of her male counterparts. In the official lawsuit, she states that she was paid just over $64,000, while some of the ‘Tier 1’ male coaches made in excess of $120,000. It also states in the lawsuit that the lowest paid male coach at the university made nearly $75,000, still over 10 grand more than Soboleski.

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Her official complaint to the university was filed in April 2016, when she notified Edinboro's Title IX coordinator, who then submitted the complaint to the PA State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The Title IX coordinator, after a PASSHE investigation, recommended a high raise for Soboleski, which she never really received. She now makes $73,251 annually, according to GoErie.com, which is nine grand above her old salary, but still lower than the lowest paid male coach at the university. After having her case reviewed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal agency that works to prevent civil workplace discrimination, Soboleski filed a suit to sue the PASSHE in addition to Edinboro University.

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The Equal Pay Act, which was instituted during the Kennedy administration’s time in the White House, states that males and females would receive equal pay for equal work. Soboleski and her lawyers have cited this as a root of her lawsuit. While it is possible that the pay disparity is based on gender, attorney Eric Purchase, of Purchase, George, and Murphey P.C., brought about the potential legality of the disparity in stating “If it's because of gender, then you have a cause of action. You have a right and you ought to explore it. If it's for something other than gender, that may not be protected under our law,” according to YourErie.com. For example, women’s volleyball may not draw fans, generate revenue or assist the university in recruiting student athletes as compared to say, men’s basketball or men’s wrestling. That may become a barrier for Soboleski and her attorneys to successfully sue the university.

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While Soboleski has her hands full suing Edinboro University and the PASSHE, she has recently chosen to take on Edinboro athletic director Bruce Baumgartner in another civil case. Soboleski claimed in her original lawsuit that Baumgartner had “shunned” her when she complained about the wage disparity between coaches of different genders. According to GoErie.com,  Baumgartner actively retaliated against Soboleski by “...repeatedly referring to the complaint, at times in an ‘intimidating’ or ‘threatening’ manner, and by refusing routine requests and impeding Soboleski’s ability to do her job, in one instance prohibiting her from taking a previously scheduled recruitment trip.” Soboleski amended her original complaint last week to include Baumgartner in the lawsuit, claiming that Baumgartner denied her of her 14th Amendment right of equal legal protection. Thus far, Edinboro’s and Baumgartner’s legal representatives have denied commenting on the suit.

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It seems like Soboleski has a strong case against the defendants, but only time and the legal process will determine if she receives justice.