Former Penn State women's basketball player Courtney Wicks defended ex-Lady Lion Jen Harris yesterday, saying Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland made anti-lesbian remarks toward her while she was on the squad.

Wicks' statements are the latest development after Harris filed suit in the federal district court of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg against Portland, Athletic Director Tim Curley, and Penn State on Dec. 21. The suit claims that she was asked to leave the Penn State team because of her race, gender, and perceived sexual orientation.

Penn State President Graham Spanier was unavailable for comment. Penn State spokesman Tysen Kendig declined comment on Wicks' statements, but did offer response to the lawsuit.

"They are allegations at this point. I think it's important to keep that in mind," Kendig said.

Wicks played for Penn State from 1996 to 1997, averaging 4.1 points per game as a guard for the Lady Lions. She left the team after her sophomore season after a dispute with the coaching staff over an ankle injury. Also, Wicks cited philosophical differences with Portland's policy toward lesbians as reasons for leaving Penn State.

"Social justice," Wicks said of why she has come forward on Harris' behalf. "I can help in this one because I was there."

During a recruiting visit to her home in high school, Wicks said that Portland told her that Penn State was a "straight environment, a lesbian free environment." Harris has said that Portland told her during a high school recruiting visit that she would dislike the Virginia women's basketball program because the team "dates girls."

While at Penn State, Wicks said she had a former teammate ask her if she was a lesbian. Wicks later learned that the player was sent by Portland to because the coach had suspected a mentor of Wicks to be a lesbian. Portland tried to convince Wicks to stay away from her mentor. Wicks would not identify the teammate or the mentor.

"She told me that wasn't a fit situation for me," Wicks said.

Sports Information Director Erin Whiteside said that Portland will decline further comment and she has decided to rest upon her previous two statements to the media.

"Let me make absolutely clear that the only reason Jennifer Harris is no longer with the Lady Lions is because of her performance and attitude in relation to basketball," Portland said in a press release on Oct. 14.

On Nov. 9, Portland denied discriminating upon race and gender. "My career has been built on treating all Lady Lion players with equal respect," Portland said.

"At this point if I were to use the two statements we already released and were to use those statements in any story you were to publish, I think those speak well to what Rene is trying to express on the issue," Whiteside said.

Wendell Courtney, who represents the university and Curley, responded via e-mail that he had received the lawsuit and is analyzing the details in order to respond. The Federal Rule of Civil Procedure requires that the defendants issue a response to the court within 20 days of receiving the paperwork.

Karen Doering, Harris' attorney, said they never intended to sue in federal court. Instead, they were waiting until the university finished its internal investigation to consider legal action. Doering asked for an agreement that could lengthen the statute of limitations so Harris could hold to some of her legal claims.

The statute of limitations in Pennsylvania was ending for many of Harris' allegations which took place in December. Doering said she had not received a timeframe for Penn State's investigation.

"Portions of [Harris'] claim were going to disappear if we didn't file suit," Doering said.

Ken Lehrman, director of the Affirmative Action Office, declined to comment on the university's investigation.

On Jan. 1, Doering will send an attorney-drafted complaint to the Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission. This draft will be a more formal version of Harris' first complaint, which was received on Nov. 4.

In the previous complaint, Harris' claims include supposed threats by Portland, including one incident where the coach pointed to the former player saying, "That is why coaches aren't allowed to carry guns." Portland also allegedly told Harris, "Why don't you kill yourself and make me the happiest person on earth."