Title IX at 50: What’s been done, what’s left to accomplish

Women’s sports are having a moment.

Earlier this month it was announced that the NCAA women’s college basketball title game will be shown on ABC instead of ESPN, and the NWSL’s championship match will be on CBS in prime time. No subscription or cable needed, both will be on the major networks.

This follows the ratings for this year’s NCAA women’s title matchup between South Carolina and UConn, which was the most-watched college basketball game, men’s or women’s on ESPN, in more than a decade, according to USA Today. The article also points out that the Women’s College World Series averaged 1.1 million viewers, the third straight year it’s been above a million, while the WNBA says viewership for its playoff games are up 39 percent over last year.

There’s a real good chance that none of that would have been possible without Title IX.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Title IX wasn’t originally designed to boost women’s sports, but that turned out to be a side benefit from its equality statement. “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.”

What came afterwards was an explosion of women’s sports, especially on the college level. And the young girls who had those first opportunities when they were in college, are now the mothers of the players in the WNBA, NWSL and other sports who grew up watching their own moms and other girls and women play sports.

Jane Meier was one of those who was able to take advantage of the sports available, and became one of the first females to serve as an athletic director at the college level, at Northern Kentucky University. Jane was a coach at NKU before becoming athletic director in 1988 and under her watch the school made 76 NCAA tournament appearances, 13 trips to Division II Final Fours, and two national championships.

JANE MEIER

Photo courtesy of NKU

Jane Meier

• One of the first females to serve as an Athletic Director at the college level.

• Was a coach at NKU before becoming the AD.

• Made 76 NCAA tournament appearances, 13 trips to Division II Final Fours & 2 National Championships!

“I am a pre-Title IX student-athlete, therefore, did not have the participation and financial opportunities after its passage,” Jane said.  “But, because of professional women at the College of Mount Saint Joseph (1965-69), Eastern Kentucky University (1976-77), Northern Michigan University (1977-78) and a woman and men at Northern Kentucky University (1978-2009), I benefitted from Title IX professionally. 

“I benefitted from my high school and college playing career even if it had limited opportunities.  I benefitted from my high school teaching, coaching and administrative years at Notre Dame Academy, because it helped me to aspire to coach at the intercollegiate level.”

Jane arrived at NKU in 1978 as the head slow-pitch softball and volleyball coach, four years after the school added women’s athletics. “Because of Title IX, they provided for the athletic scholarships for women student-athletes.  NKU was the first public institution in Kentucky to offer women athletic scholarships.  I coached two sports a year for 10 years and I served as the women’s athletics coordinator for five of those 10 years.

“I was selected as the Athletic Director in August, 1988, 16 years after the passage of Title IX.  I was the 57th woman in the country to be appointed to direct a men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletics program and just recently found out, I was the first woman AD named in the NCAA Division II. (NOTE: I was the first woman to serve on the men’s NCAA Division II National Basketball Committee).  I served in the capacity for 21 years. 

“Until recently, when NKU named Christina Roybal NKU’s AD, I was the only woman to serve as AD at a Kentucky public institution of higher learning before and since the passage of Title IX.”

Photo courtesy of UC

Maggie mcKinley

For Maggie McKinley, Deputy Director of Athletics/SWA at the University of Cincinnati, Title IX introduced her to collegiate athletics. “Title IX opened the door for me to attend and represent the University of Cincinnati in track & field. The women’s program only existed for a few short years during the early 1980’s and had been dormant ever since. The program was reinstated for the 1995-96 year to assist in creating more participation opportunities for females to be in compliance with Title IX.

““Title IX opened the door for me to attend and represent the University of Cincinnati in track & field. The women’s program only existed for a few short years during the early 1980’s and had been dormant ever since.””

“I was a member of that first recruiting class for track & field entering in the fall of 1996 and would not have attended UC without that opportunity which led to my career in college athletics administration. As an administrator, it has enabled me to not only add more chairs to the table, but support the need for a bigger table.”

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, women’s participation in college athletics has increased exponentially since Title IX. Today, WSF reports that women make up 44% of all NCAA athletes, compared to 15% pre-Title IX. In high school, it’s estimated that girls have 3 million more opportunities to play high school sports now, than before Title IX.

With Title IX offering female student-athletes more opportunities than ever, and with women’s sports more popular now than ever, both Jane and Maggie see bright futures for female athletes.  “I am very hopeful for the future of Title IX and that equity and opportunities are the norm.” Maggie said. “Decisions are made and resources are allocated because it’s the right thing to do, not because a federal law requires it.”

“It is up to all involved both men and women to continue to ensure that all student-athletes are

treated well and equally,” Jane added. “Unfortunately, there are some unknowns and plenty of uncertainties with the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) inauguration. But, because of Title IX, the women student-athletes should be protected. And, Title IX is not just about athletics and fair treatment for female student-athletes. It is a law that serves all men and women in all areas of our lives.”

Written by Betsy Ross, Founder & President, Game Day.