Former UH Recruiting Director Sues University Alleging Disability and Gender Discrimination

A former director of recruiting for the University of Hawai‘i football program has filed a federal lawsuit alleging disability and gender discrimination after disclosing a narcolepsy diagnosis during her nine-month tenure. Devenny joined the Mānoa campus program in April 2024 after graduating from the University of Nebraska in 2023 and working a season as an operations assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

She handled recruiting operations, logistics, travel, and administrative functions, reported directly to head coach Timmy Chang, and worked alongside General Manager Matt Chon.

She was the only woman in that role. Devenny discovered she had narcolepsy during her time at UH and disclosed the diagnosis to supervisors. The complaint states the condition did not affect her job performance.

After the disclosure, she was subjected to repeated comments about sleeping, oversleeping, reporting to work on time, and concerns she would sleep during work hours, along with references to melatonin and other sleep-related topics that she perceived as mocking or minimizing her disability.

The complaint alleges Devenny was publicly humiliated in front of coworkers and colleagues by Chon on multiple occasions. After one episode, Chon told her he had been under significant stress and had unfairly directed his frustration toward her.

Devenny also claims unequal treatment compared with male employees who had less responsibility and lower compensation. Male coaches, staff, and graduate assistants received first-class upgrades and individual hotel rooms on team travel, while she flew coach and shared rooms.

A recruiting intern repeatedly called her a “donkey” in front of students and, at least once, called her a “ct,” according to the complaint.