Lia Thomas' former teammates speak out against UPenn amid Title IX violation

Former UPenn swimmer Ellen Holmquist and attorney Bill Bock weigh in on the fight for fairness in women’s sports on ‘Fox News @ Night.’

The U.S. Department of Education has found that the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX by allowing trans athlete Lia Thomas to compete on the women's swim team, it announced Monday. 

A pair of former UPenn women's swimmers who went through the experience of sharing a pool and locker room with Thomas opened up on what the recent declaration by President Donald Trump's administration means to them. 

Conservative influencer Paula Scanlan, who was one of the first of Thomas' teammates to speak up against the school, told Fox News Digital that the news "excited" her, but she is also skeptical of its impact. 

"I was excited to hear that the Department of Education is cracking down on the University of Pennsylvania. Ultimately, though, I’m skeptical that my alma mater will take meaningful action. They have had years to address this issue and apologize to the female athletes affected, yet they have chosen not to," Scanlan said. 

RILEY GAINES WANTS TO SEND A ‘THANK-YOU NOTE' TO LIA THOMAS – HERE'S WHY

University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, left, and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Fellow former UPenn women's swimmer Grace Estabrook told Fox News Digital that she hopes further and more severe action is taken. 

"I am grateful to this administration for their leadership on these matters, and I hope to see accountability soon for everyone who stood by while