A state jury in California ruled on Monday in favor of a former women’s volleyball coach at California State University at Fresno, Lindy Vivas, saying the university had discriminated against her on the basis of sex and awarding her $5.85-million in damages. The sum is likely to be the largest ever given to a coach who sued for retaliation under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the landmark gender-equity law, Ms. Vivas’s lawyer told the Associated Press.

Fresno State declined to renew Ms. Vivas’s contract in 2004. In a lawsuit, the coach alleged that the decision had been based on her gender-equity advocacy and athletics officials’ perception of her sexual orientation.

Fresno State officials have denied discriminating against her, saying that Ms. Vivas was unwilling to improve the volleyball program. They will aggressively appeal the jury’s verdict, the university said in a written statement.

Two other discrimination lawsuits are pending against Fresno State. The trial of Diane Milutinovich, a former associate athletics director, is scheduled for September, and that of Stacy Johnson-Klein, a former women’s basketball coach, is set to begin in October. —Sara Lipka