40th Anniversary of Title IX

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX.

Title IX was passed on June 23, 1972. It says that, “No person in the United State shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.’’

Since 1972, female participation in sports and the availability of sports for girls has increased dramatically.

On July 1, 1972 the University of Arkansas Administration formally funded an extramural sports program exclusively for women. The original budgetary allocation was $5,000, and six sports were offered: archery, bowling, golf, gymnastics, swimming and tennis.

Razorback Women’s Athletics Year By Year
1972-First year of Razorback Tennis.
-First year of competition for Razorback Swimming and Diving.

1973-University members began participating in the national organization known as the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) at its beginning in 1973 and continued to participate until the end of the organization around 1982. It was at this point that women’s athletics departments across the country began moving to the NCAA.

1974-In 1974, the program name became Women’s Intercollegiate Sports. Also in the 1974-1975 academic year, women coaches were granted a teaching load reduction of 20% during the semester in which they coached.

1975-Carol Crafton won an AIAW Individual Singles Championship for Razorback Tennis.

1976-First Razorback Basketball game in Barnhill Arena under head coach Sharon Ogle.  They went 10-6 as the first official varsity team after evolving from “extramural’ teams.

-First season of competition for Razorback Track and Field teams

1977-First women’s athletic scholarship awarded to freshman basketball player Betsy Broyles.

1978-First Razorback Cross Country All-American (Jody Rittenhouse).

1979-First Razorback Swimming and Diving All-American (Diane Ducet).

-First Razorback Track and Field All-American and National Champion (Diane Ousley).

1980-The 1980-81 Razorback Basketball team became the first to host a home tournament.

1981-First AIAW Diving title by a Razorback (Karen Gorham).

1982-Razorback Tennis finishes ninth in AIAW Championship.

1983-The Razorback Basketball team hosted No. 2 Louisiana Tech in the second opener beginning a trend of tough non-conference opponents that season for the Razorbacks.

1984-First Razorback Swimmer competes in the Olympics (Chery McArton).  She is the first Olympian for the Razorback women.

-Razorback Cross Country became the first women’s program to earn a national ranking, finishing the year No. 16.

-Razorback Basketball selected to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

1985-John Sutherland was promoted to head coach of the Razorback Basketball team, becoming the youngest Division I head coach in America at the time.  He coached the Razorbacks for nine seasons.

-Robin Ford becomes the first Razorback Diver to win an NCAA title.

1986-First season of competition for Razorbacks Soccer.

-Razorback Cross Country earned the first top 10 finish in any sport in program history.

1987-Razorback Basketball wins the 1986-87 Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) averaging over 100 points per game in during the title run.  It is the first team national title for any women’s sport at Arkansas.

1988-Razorback Cross Country won Arkansas’ first Southwest Conference title in any sport.

-Bev Lewis voted SWC Coach of the Year (second consecutive).

1989-Bev Lewis named SWC Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.

-Bev Lewis became Director of Women’s Athletics until men’s and women’s departments unified in 2008.

1990-Michelle Byrne became the first cross country freshman All-American.

-Razorback Basketball defeats Texas ending the longest conference winning streak in NCAA history.

-Razorback Basketball wins their first conference (SWC) title.

1991-First SEC Championship for Razorback Cross Country.

-First Academic All-American in Razorback Track and Field (Claire Lavers).
 
- Arkansas joins the Southeastern Conference.
 
-Arkansas Basketball reaches the NCAA Sweet 16.

-Delmonica DeHorney became Razorback Basketball’s first first-team  Kodak All-American.

1992-The Razorback Basketball team was 11-14 overall with a 9-3 record at home.

-The construction of Razorback Field (Soccer) is complete.  It is the first collegiate soccer field in the country dedicated solely for use of a women’s team.

1993-Deena Drossin won the 5,000 with a time of 16:16.32 at Penn Relays.  She also ran the third leg of the third-place 4x1500 team.  Deena Drossin Kastor is the American record holder in the marathon and half marathon.
 
-1993-94- UA Women’s Athletics hosted the first major NCAA Championship at Arkansas (Basketball Mideast Regional).

1994-First season of competition for Razorback Volleyball.  Krystal Osborne become s the first Razorback Volleyball player to earn All-SEC First-Team honors.
 
-Razorback Soccer hosts SEC Championship.  Arkansas hosts the first SEC women’s soccer match to ever be televised.

-Razorba ck Basketball player Bettye Fiscus became the first woman induced into the University Of Arkansas Sports Hall Of Honor.
 
-Razorback Athletics hosted the 1994 NCAA Cross Country Championship.

1995-First season of competition for Razorback Golf.

-Basketball player Christy Smith becomes the first Razorback  to earn SEC Freshman of the Year and the first Arkansas woman named to the AP All-American team (honorable mention).
 
1996-First season of competition for Razorback Softball.

-First NCAA Tournament appearance for Razorback Tennis (reached second round).

1997-Razorback Volleyball wins the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

-Lights were added to Razorback Field (soccer) and Arkansas hosted the first night game.

1998-Razorback Basketball reaches the Final Four.

-Razorback Volleyball reached the NCAA Round of 16.

-Razorback Tennis reaches NCAA Round of 16.

1999-Razorback Basketball parlayed a five-game winning streak the previous season into 1999-2000 winning eight in a row to start the year and post the longest winning streak in program history.  The 1999-2000 team reached the WNIT Semifinals.

-Volleyball player Jessica Field becomes Arkansas’ first SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete recipient.

2000-First SEC Championship for Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field.

-First SEC Triple Crown for Razorback Cross Country/Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field.

-Razorback Cross Country scored the first perfect 15 in SEC Championship history.

-Amy Yoder Begley (Cross Country) became the first women to win three consecutive SEC titles; the first four-time cross country All-American in program history and the first woman in SEC history to win the Honda Award in cross country.
 
-Razorback Golf made its first NCAA Regional appearance.

2001-Amy Yoder-Begley becomes the first Razorback multi-time national champion (Track and Field).

-GiGi Miller becomes the first Field National Champion in the triple jump.

-Shameka Christon becomes the first Razorback Basketball player to represent the United States at the World Championship and the first to earned SEC Player of the Year honors.

-Razorback Basketball player Bettye Fiscus Dickey’s jersey (#5) is the first ever retired by the University.

2002-Razorback Golf team makes second-ever NCAA Regional appearance.

-Softball player Tiffany Woolley earns the SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete recipient.  She is the second Arkansas winner in school history.

2003-First season of competition for Razorback Gymnastics.

-The Bev Lewis Center for Women’s Athletics was completed.  It was the first athletic building built solely for women’s athletics.
 
-Julie Williford (soccer) became the first Razorback Academic All-American.

2004-First Gold medal won by a Razorback at the Olympics (Veronica Campbell).

-Marathoner Deena Drossin Kastor won a bronze at the Olympics.

-Razorback basketball player Shameka Christon is the first AP All-American and the first first-round draft pick of the WNBA in program history.

2005-Razorback Golfer Stacy Lewis wins SEC Individual title as redshirt freshman at Tunica National.

-First NCAA Championship appearance for Razorback Golf.

-Dana McQuillian became the first NCAA qualifier in gymnastics.

2006-Razorback Gymnastics earns first NCAA Championship appearance.

2007-Razorback Golfer Stacy Lewis wins the NCAA Individual National Title.

2008-Razorback Gymnastics finishes 10th at NCAA Championship.

-Razorback Tennis reaches NCAA quarterfinals (Elite Eight) and Razorback Tennis player Aaurelija Miseviciute reaches NCAA semifinals, the highest finish by a Razorback.

-Razorback Golfer Stacy Lewis wins second SEC individual title; SEC Player of the Year.

-Michelle Stout became the first All-American and event finalist in gymnastics program history.

2009-Razorback Gymnastics makes first NCAA Super Six appearance; finishes fifth in nation.

-Razorback Tennis reaches NCAA Round of 16.

-Razorback Tennis player Aurelija Miseviciute SEC Player of the Year and SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

-Bogle Field (softball) was dedicated.
 
2010-Razorback Gymnastics advances to NCAA Championship; 11th in the nation.

-Casey Jo Magee earns UA’s first No. 1 ranking (beam).

-For the second consecutive year the Razorback Golf team was recognized for its academic success by the NCAA.  The Razorbacks earned the Public Recognition Award from the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program for the team’s multiyear success.  Arkansas scored a perfect 1000 and has not lost a point in five consecutive recording segments.  The NCAA monitors teams Academic Progress Rate or APR scores.  The Razorbacks were in the top 10 percent for women’s golf this year. 

2011-Razorback Gymnastics ties for SEC regular season title and advances to NCAA Championship finishing ninth in the nation.

-Razorback Gymnast Michelle Stout earns SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

-Razorback Golf finishes a program-best tie for fifth in the nation.

-Razorback Golfers Emily Tubert (first team) and Kelli Shean (honorable mention) All-Americans.

-Tina Sutej sets indoor and outdoor collegiate records in pole vault for Razorback Track and Field.

2012- Razorback Gymnastics earns No. 1 national ranking, reaches NCAA Super Six and finishes sixth in nation.

-Razorback Gymnast Jaime Pisani is SEC Gymnast of the Year, is No. 1 on floor and all around; Katherine Grable is No. 1 in all around;  Mariah Howdeshell is No. 1 on bars; Team is No. 1 on beam.
 
-Razorback Basketball defeats Tennessee in Knoxville for the first time in program history and goes on to the NCAA Second Round.

-Razorback Softball player Devon Wallace is the first Razorback to earn SEC Softball Freshman of the Year honors.