Oregon, coach Dana Altman sued over alleged sexual assault

Oregon and head basketball coach Dana Altman were sued in federal court by a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by three Oregon basketball players

The University of Oregon and head basketball coach Dana Altman have been sued in federal court by a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by three Oregon basketball players, reports TheOregonian.

The complaint claims that Altman was aware that one of the players, Brandon Austin, had been suspended from his former college after being accused of another sexual assault at that school, according to the report.

The woman, who is a current student at Oregon, says her Title IX rights were violated and that the university showed "deliberate indifference" in bringing Austin to campus knowing about his past.

Austin had transferred to Oregon from Providence. Altman and athletic director Rob Mullens have said they didn't know the reason why Austin was suspended from Providence before he came to Oregon.

"This is a very important case that needs to be litigated," the woman's attorney, John Clune, said in a statement. "It is time for athletic departments to stop trading the safety of women on campus for points on a scoreboard."

Austin and fellow former Oregon players Damyean Dotson and Dominic Artis were dismissed from the team last May as a result of the woman's allegations. The trio are also barred from campus for a minimum of four years.

The players have denied the allegations, saying that the sex was consensual. Prosecutors declined to press charges against the players, citing lack of evidence.

The university president said in a statement Thursday that the school "disagrees with the allegations against it and believes that it acted in accordance with the law, including Title IX."

Clune also represents the woman who said former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston of sexually assaulted in December 2012. The woman sued Florida State on Wednesday.

- Scooby Axson