Fifty years ago, Title IX was signed into law as part of the Education Amendments Act on June 23, 1972. That piece of legislation opened the door for participation in athletics and many other life-changing opportunities for women.
As we celebrate women in sports at the University of Utah and the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Utah Athletics is producing a four-month, cross-platform content series showcasing the people, magical moments, milestones, and behind-the-scenes stories from Utah’s rich history.
The series, “Fifty Years Forward,” focuses on the themes of Opportunity, Empowerment and Legacy. In-depth features, classic photos, video vignettes and other content forms will bring those stories to life on UtahUtes.com as well as our social media and digital platforms. The series begins June 23 and leads into the Utah Athletics Fifty Years Forward Celebration Weekend, Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
A video featuring Utah women student-athletes reading the words of Title IX officially launched the series on social media.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to celebrate the rich history of our women’s sports programs at the University of Utah, and those who established the foundation for the incredible achievements we continue to see today,” said Director of Athletics Mark Harlan. “We’re excited to tell those stories and we look forward to a very meaningful celebration here in the fall.”
After Title IX was implemented, the U began building the foundation for women’s collegiate sports and officially launched programs two years later, beginning with tennis in 1974 and basketball in 1974-75. Programs for volleyball, gymnastics, skiing and softball were ushered in during the 1975-76 athletics year. Cross country and track & field were implemented in 1981 followed by swimming & diving in 1982. Soccer came on board in the fall of 1995 and beach volleyball was added in the spring of 2017.
“I couldn’t be more grateful for the many benefits I’ve received because of Title IX,” said Charmelle Green, Utah Deputy A.D. for Internal Operations and COO. “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX and reflect on the amazing women that paved the way for so many…
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