Teenage girl wrestler alleges assault after match with male

Kallie Keeler sued school officials and an athletic association in Washington state this week, alleging that they failed to notify her that her wrestling opponent was a male. Keeler’s lawsuit, filed by nonproft legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, also accuses officials of delaying reporting to law enforcement that the male wrestler assaulted her during their match. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association was named as a defendant in the lawsuit, along with several entities and individuals in the school system.

Washington Interscholastic Activities Association told WORLD it was aware of the legal complaint. The association said it does not comment on pending litigation. 

What’s the background of the case? The incident occurred in December 2025 during a high school girls’ wrestling tournament. Keeler, who was 15 at the time, says she did not know her opponent was male. The lawsuit alleges that school officials and the athletic association knew her opponent’s sex at the time of the match.

During the match, Keeler’s opponent allegedly sexually assaulted her through her spandex clothing, causing her great pain, according to the lawsuit. She allowed him to pin her down, losing the match, to stop his behavior. Only afterward did she find out that he was male, according to the lawsuit filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, or AFD.

Keeler and her mother, who took a video of the match, reported the assault to school officials two days later. The officials did not pass on their report to law enforcement within 48 hours as required by state law, the lawsuit alleges. School officials finally notified law enforcement about 53 days later, after the story broke in the media, AFD said. Keeler withdrew from wrestling due to the lack of response, as well as the district’s refusal to allow her to opt out of matches with males, including her alleged assailant.

What did Keeler’s attorneys petition the U.S. district court to do? They called for a court declaration that state authorities and school officials violated federal Title IX legal protections against sex-based discrimination, as well as due process and parental rights under the Constitution.

They further asked that the court:

• Prevent male athletes from competing against Keeler in girls’ wrestling and contact sports

• Require the school district to notify parents and allow opt-out if Keeler is assigned to a male opponent

• Reverse records and awards based on her loss to the male assailant

• Require sexual assault training for school officials.

• Award relief for damages and attorneys’ fees

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