Title IX | 50th Anniversary
A look inside how Davidson Athletics celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Title IX during 2022.
1/4/2023
"No person in the United States 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."
As June 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the adoption of Title IX, Davidson Athletics spent the calendar year with a celebration of the federal civil rights law’s passing.
Although Title IX legislation ensures all students, both male and female, have access and equality in education, one of its greatest impacts has been across the landscape of women’s intercollegiate athletics. With 2022 also representing the 50th anniversary of co-education at Davidson College, the athletic department dedicated the year to honoring and celebrating the past, present and future of women’s athletics on campus.
TAKE A LOOK AT HOW DAVIDSON ATHLETICS CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF TITLE IX
The Davidson women's basketball program kicked off the 2022 Title IX celebrations, hosting the first of many Title IX games on Jan. 15, 2022 against Duquesne. The Wildcats invited back all alumni for the matchup and held a pregame and postgame event with the former 'Cats in attendance.
Caroline Price and the 1984 women's tennis team were honored on Feb. 26, 2022 during halftime of a men's basketball game during the Davidson Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, as Price was the first female head coach inducted and her 1984 squad was the first-ever team enshrined.
Price accumulated a 422-314 (.573) career record in 32 years of leading the Davidson women's tennis program. She guided the Wildcats to a pair of trips to the NCAA Division III National Championship match, while taking home the 1984 national championship as the only national title ever earned by a Davidson athletic team. The following year, Price guided the 'Cats back to the championship match on their way to a school-record 21 wins in 1985. Fast forward a few years and Price went on to earn a Big South Championship title in 1991 and then finished runner-up in 1992. During it all, she registered 22 winning seasons, including a nine-year run in which the 'Cats reached the Southern Conference Tournament final four times and went a combined 150-71.
The Davidson women's tennis team captured the only national title in school history in 1984, defeating UC San Diego 15-14 in Kalamazoo, Mich. That year, the Wildcats went 17-6 during the regular season and went on three different four-match win streaks throughout the campaign, on their way to the national championship.
The lacrosse and women's soccer team also held Title IX themed-games, where both squads partnered with Strong Girls United, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering girls to be strong, confident, and resilient through sport and physical activity alongside mental health and well-being activities.
Today we play for @StrongGirlsOTW, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering girls to be strong, confident and resilient through sports, social connection, mental health and wellbeing activities. pic.twitter.com/FsGO2P3t3I
— Davidson Lacrosse (@DavidsonLax) April 10, 2022
In the summer, Davidson highlighted three former female scholar-athletes in a summer spotlight series on social media, as Rebecca Stimson ‘77, Heather McKee ’87 and Kelly Fillnow '05 shared what Title IX means to them and how it has impacted them throughout their lives.
Additionally, on June 23, 2022, exactly 50 years after the enactment of Title IX, Davidson shared the story of Susan Reid '77, who was one of the first female scholar-athletes at Davidson College and was the first female to compete on the swim team. Read The Pioneer here.
Later that fall, the field hockey team sat down with Heather McKee ‘87 as she discussed what it was like being a three-sport athlete at Davidson, what title IX means to her and her experiences surrounding Title IX throughout her life. The women’s tennis and women's soccer programs also held virtual meetings with alums from their respective programs to share their experiences at Davidson during their careers.
During Wildcat Weekend, the athletic department wrapped up its Title IX ceremonies with a tailgate before the football team's Nov. 5 game against Stetson and invited all former female scholar-athletes to come back to campus and attend.
Celebrating 50 Years of Title IX today with former @DavidsonCollege scholar-athletes before @DavidsonFB’s 1 p.m. kick off??
— Davidson Athletics (@DavidsonWildcat) November 5, 2022
Thank you to all who have come out to join us! pic.twitter.com/TZCyeV7Ujh
The following morning, the department also held a free, Run Like A Girl Fun Run with over 200 registrants from around the Davidson community and in collaboration with the non-profit organization, Girls on the Run to officially conclude its 2022 Title IX 50th Anniversary celebrations.
A HUGE thank you to all who came out, weathered the storm and participated in our Run Like a Girl Fun Run, celebrating 50 years of Title IX ??????? pic.twitter.com/8X1DAVa7zS
— Davidson Athletics (@DavidsonWildcat) November 6, 2022
#CatsAreWild
