Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland quits

Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland resigned Thursday, ending a 27-year tenure in which she won 605 games but battled allegations that she discriminated against lesbian players. Portland resigned Wednesday night, the university said in a statement Thursday morning.

''This was obviously a difficult decision,'' Portland said in the statement. ''I am very appreciative of the opportunity to coach at Penn State, which has become a special place for me and my family,'' she said. ''I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish with the Lady Lions program through the years.''

Portland had built the team into a powerhouse, though the program had slipped to subpar records in recent seasons.

And the coach had a string of discrimination allegations lobbed against her during her tenure. Most recently, Portland settled a lawsuit in February by a former player, Jennifer Harris, who claimed that Portland had a ''no-lesbian'' policy on her team.

Terms of the settlement were not announced.

''I appreciate what Rene has done for the women's basketball program,'' athletic director Tim Curley said in the statement. ''Rene and her staff have worked very hard to produce teams that were competitive nationally and within the Big Ten.''

Portland, who was hired by Penn State in 1980, compiled a 605–235 record with the Lady Lions, and earlier this season became just the ninth women's basketball coach to win 600 games at one school.

Penn State played in 21 NCAA tournaments under Portland and advanced to the 2000 Final Four. Portland won five Big Ten championships and two conference tournament titles during her tenure.

But the program had slipped of late. Penn State finished 14–15 this season and 13–16 the year before.

Portland played basketball at Immaculata College in a time before the NCAA recognized women's sports. From 1972 to 1974 she was on three national championship teams of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

A year after graduating from Immaculata, Portland was named head coach at Saint Joseph's, leading her first team to a 23–5 record and the AIAW national tournament. Portland spent two seasons at Saint Joseph's and two at Colorado, racking up an 87–29 record and leading all four teams into postseason play.

In 1980, Portland was hired by Joe Paterno to succeed Pat Meiser as head coach at Penn State, the only head coach hired by Paterno during his tenure as Penn State's athletics director. (Genaro C. Armas, AP)