Texas Tech to celebrate 50th anniversary of Title IX
LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) - Texas Tech Athletics will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX legislation with a year-long recognition, highlighting its impact on women’s athletics locally and nationally as well as the trailblazers whose legacies live on today.
The recognition, tabbed the “Women Who Wrecked ‘Em,” will kick off Wednesday evening when Lady Raider Basketball hosts TCU inside United Supermarkets Arena. Texas Tech will host similar monthly celebrations throughout the rest of the spring at softball, women’s tennis and track and field home events.
“The lasting impact of Title IX continues to be felt today, providing a vital role in the growth of women’s athletics both on our campus and across the country,” Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said. “This celebration will honor the pioneers and greats in our history for the legacy they have left on Texas Tech Athletics and this entire university as we close in on the 50-year anniversary of Title IX.”
As part of the recognition, Texas Tech will celebrate several Title IX pioneers in the university’s history, including the late Jeannine McHaney, former vice president for student affairs Robert Ewalt, Hall of Fame Coach Marsha Sharp, NCAA Champion and Olympic athlete Sally Kipyego and head women’s basketball coach Krista Gerlich.
Title IX was passed by Congress on June 23, 1972, effectively ending the practice of sex-based discrimination by any school or educational program that receives funding from the federal government. At that point in history, Texas Tech sponsored nine women’s sports programs under the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). Texas Tech created its women’s athletics department in 1975, appointing McHaney to serve as the inaugural athletics director.
McHaney is credited as “the most influential figure in the development of women’s athletics programs at Texas Tech” after leading efforts to increase scholarships and funding for the women’s athletics department following the implementation of Title IX. Texas Tech’s women’s programs began competing under the NCAA during the 1981-82 academic year and eventually merged with its male counterparts as one athletics department in 1985.
Texas Tech Athletics is in the process of producing a documentary that will highlight the university’s history pertaining to Title IX. The documentary, featuring interviews from the likes of Sharp, Gerlich and many others, will debut later this summer as part of a public showing on campus.
Additional details regarding the documentary and year-long recognition will be announced in the coming months.
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