Rene Portland
Encyclopedia
Maureen Theresa "Rene" Muth Portland is an American former head women's college basketball
coach known for her 27-year tenure with the Penn State
Lady Lions basketball team. Her career resume includes 21 NCAA
tournament appearances including a Final Four
appearance in 2000, five Big Ten Conference
championships
and two conference tournament
titles. Portland is one of nine women's basketball
coaches to have won 600 or more games at a single school, with a career record of 606–236 at Penn State. She is accused of discriminating against homosexual players of the Penn State women's basketball team.
. Portland was previously one of the star players at Immaculata College
, one of the early powers in women's college basketball. Several of her teammates also went on to become prominent women's coaches, such as Theresa Grentz
and Marianne Stanley.
Portland served 27 seasons as the Lady Lions head coach. She won over 600 games at Penn State, making her sixth in most wins in Division I women’s basketball. Although she had coached many Lady Lions teams to the NCAA tournament, she had been unable to win a national championship. Portland had a demonstrated commitment to charitable causes, most notably participating in the first annual “Think Pink” day to raise funds for breast cancer research. On March 22, 2007, Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics announced Portland's resignation, effective immediately. On April 23, 2007, the university announced Coquese Washington
as her successor.
The statement was made prior to adoption of Penn State's policy on nondiscrimination and harassment in 1991; However, according to the 2009 documentary film Training Rules
, no action was taken against Portland's prohibition.
In 2006, former player Jennifer Harris
accused Portland of removing her from the team because of her perceived sexual orientation. Harris filed a federal lawsuit against Portland, athletic director Tim Curley, and the university. An internal university review found that Portland created a "hostile, intimidating, and offensive environment" based on Harris's perceived sexual orientation. Portland was fined $10,000, required to attend diversity training sessions, and placed on "zero tolerance
" for future violations of the nondiscrimination policy. In responding to the sanctions, Portland stated that "the process that was used to reach these conclusions was flawed." Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights
, has stated that "consequences faced by Rene Portland are insulting and inadequate."
The lawsuit was settled, before Portland's resignation, under confidential terms and described by a joint statement as "amicable."
Despite being forced out of the Penn State job, many of her fellow Big Ten coaches continued to support her.
The documentary film Training Rules
, co-directed by Dee Mosbacher
and Fawn Yacker
, explores this issue further, interviewing numerous players about their experience with Portland and the anti-homosexual environment she perpetuated during her tenure.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach known for her 27-year tenure with the Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
Lady Lions basketball team. Her career resume includes 21 NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
tournament appearances including a Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
appearance in 2000, five Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championships
Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball regular season champions
The Big Ten Conference did not begin sponsoring women's basketball until the 1982-83 basketball season. In February 1982 during the 1981-82 season, the conference held a tournament at Michigan State in which Ohio State defeated Illinois 69-66 in the championship game...
and two conference tournament
Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
The Big Ten Conference women's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the women's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1995. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's...
titles. Portland is one of nine women's basketball
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
coaches to have won 600 or more games at a single school, with a career record of 606–236 at Penn State. She is accused of discriminating against homosexual players of the Penn State women's basketball team.
Career
Portland first became head coach at Penn State in 1980, following brief positions at St. Joseph's and ColoradoUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. Portland was previously one of the star players at Immaculata College
Immaculata University
Immaculata University is a Catholic University on King Road in East Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.-History:Immaculata was founded as Villa Maria College, a women's college in 1920. It was the first Catholic college for women in the Philadelphia area...
, one of the early powers in women's college basketball. Several of her teammates also went on to become prominent women's coaches, such as Theresa Grentz
Theresa Grentz
Theresa Shank Grentz , from Glenolden, Pennsylvania, is the former head coach of the women's basketball program at the University of Illinois, Rutgers University and St. Josephs. She is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame....
and Marianne Stanley.
Portland served 27 seasons as the Lady Lions head coach. She won over 600 games at Penn State, making her sixth in most wins in Division I women’s basketball. Although she had coached many Lady Lions teams to the NCAA tournament, she had been unable to win a national championship. Portland had a demonstrated commitment to charitable causes, most notably participating in the first annual “Think Pink” day to raise funds for breast cancer research. On March 22, 2007, Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics announced Portland's resignation, effective immediately. On April 23, 2007, the university announced Coquese Washington
Coquese Washington
Coquese Makebra Washington is a former collegiate and professional basketball player who currently serves as the head coach of Penn State's women's basketball team. Washington holds a law degree, and was also the first president of the WNBA Players Association, holding that position from 1999 to...
as her successor.
Anti-homosexuality controversy
Portland forbade lesbian activity among athletes in her program, as she explained in a newspaper article:The statement was made prior to adoption of Penn State's policy on nondiscrimination and harassment in 1991; However, according to the 2009 documentary film Training Rules
Training Rules
Training Rules is a 63-minutes 2009 American award-winning documentary film co-produced and co-directed by Dee Mosbacher and Fawn Yacker.The documentary, subtitled as No Drinking, No Drugs, No Lesbians is a Woman Vision film...
, no action was taken against Portland's prohibition.
In 2006, former player Jennifer Harris
Jennifer Harris
Jennifer Harris is a former player of the Pennsylvania State University Lady Lions basketball team.-High school:Harris played for Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where she was named a WBCA All-American...
accused Portland of removing her from the team because of her perceived sexual orientation. Harris filed a federal lawsuit against Portland, athletic director Tim Curley, and the university. An internal university review found that Portland created a "hostile, intimidating, and offensive environment" based on Harris's perceived sexual orientation. Portland was fined $10,000, required to attend diversity training sessions, and placed on "zero tolerance
Zero tolerance
Zero tolerance imposes automatic punishment for infractions of a stated rule, with the intention of eliminating undesirable conduct. Zero-tolerance policies forbid persons in positions of authority from exercising discretion or changing punishments to fit the circumstances subjectively; they are...
" for future violations of the nondiscrimination policy. In responding to the sanctions, Portland stated that "the process that was used to reach these conclusions was flawed." Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Lesbian Rights
The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national non-profit, public interest law firm that advocates for equitable public policies affecting the LGBT community, provides free legal assistance to LGBT clients and their legal advocates, and conducts community education on LGBT legal issues. It...
, has stated that "consequences faced by Rene Portland are insulting and inadequate."
The lawsuit was settled, before Portland's resignation, under confidential terms and described by a joint statement as "amicable."
Despite being forced out of the Penn State job, many of her fellow Big Ten coaches continued to support her.
The documentary film Training Rules
Training Rules
Training Rules is a 63-minutes 2009 American award-winning documentary film co-produced and co-directed by Dee Mosbacher and Fawn Yacker.The documentary, subtitled as No Drinking, No Drugs, No Lesbians is a Woman Vision film...
, co-directed by Dee Mosbacher
Dee Mosbacher
Diane "Dee" Mosbacher, MD, PhD, is an American filmmaker, lesbian feminist activist, and psychiatrist...
and Fawn Yacker
Fawn Yacker
Fawn Yacker is an American filmmaker, producer and cinematographer. In 2009, she co-wrote, co-produced and co-directed with director Dee Mosbacher a one-hour documentary film entitled Training Rules, about the controversial women's basketball program ran by Rene Portland at Pennsylvania State...
, explores this issue further, interviewing numerous players about their experience with Portland and the anti-homosexual environment she perpetuated during her tenure.
Awards and honors
- 2004 WBCAWomen's Basketball Coaches AssociationThe Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
Russell Athletic National Coach of the Year - 2004 Big Ten Coach of the Year (Coaches and Media)
- 2003 Big Ten Coach of the Year (Coaches and Media)
- 2003 Naismith National Coach of the Year Finalist
- 2001 Inductee of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
- 2002 Inductee of the Mount Nittany Society
- 2000 Women’s Basketball Journal Nat’l Coach of the Year
- 2000 IKON/WBCA District 6 Coach of the Year
- 2000 Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year
- 2000 Naismith National Coach of the Year Finalist
- 1997 USA Basketball's Developmental Coach of the Year
- 1995 Naismith National Coach of the Year Finalist
- 1994 Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year
- 1993 Newspaper Enterprise Association National Coach of the Year
- 1992 Converse/U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Coach of the Year
- 1991 WBCA National Coach of the Year
- 1989-90 Women's Basketball Coaches Association President
- 1983 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year