False Data on Florida Atlantic's Female Athletes

Florida Atlantic University told the U.S. Education Department in 2017 that 51 percent of its athletes were women, a substantial gain from 31 percent the previous year. The Palm Beach Post reported that the data were correct the previous year, and that Florida Atlantic's report was false, and that the university "counted dozens of women athletes who did not exist." For example, the newspaper found that Florida Atlantic reported having 98 female track athletes, when the roster showed 43 and the team photo showed 38. Florida Atlantic officials said that it was investigating problems that they attributed to a "clerical error."