Programs and More

Celebrating 50 years of Title IX

Landmark 1972 legislation opens the doors to opportunity for women in athletics — and beyond.

“No person in the United States shall, based on 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.”

— Passed by the 92nd U.S. Congress, signed into law by President Richard Nixon, effective June 23, 1972

 

It almost didn’t happen.

As the War in Vietnam waged on, as women’s empowerment was making its mark, Title IX was being debated in Congress as a way to prohibit discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs. Then, an amendment was proposed to exempt athletic departments.

That effort failed, and despite continuing unsuccessful attacks over the past five decades in Congress and the courts, scores of female student-athletes from elementary to graduate school have benefited from the protections of Title IX.

The high-profile attempts to limit Title IX’s impact on athletics, along with equally visible advances for female student-athletes, prompted widespread misunderstanding that the law pertained only to sex-equity in athletics. In fact, the original version of Title IX included no mention of sports at all. It was always about civil rights and education.

Universities that had previously set small quotas for women in male-dominated degree programs like engineering, law and science withdrew those restrictions. Recruitment, admissions and financial aid policies became more equitable. Pregnant and parenting students were treated more fairly. In the 1980s and 90s, U.S. Supreme Court decisions clarified that sexual harassment and assault were forms of discrimination, prompting important policy advances to ensure student safety. LGBTQ students also earned protection from discrimination under Title IX.

While it continues to have broad impact in education, Title IX deserves monumental credit for elevating opportunities for women to soar athletically — and academically. The UW awarded scholarships to 117 women in 2021-22; excluding Football, more women earn scholarships than men at Washington. A report by the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education notes that about 30,000 women competed in college athletics before Title IX. An estimated 220,000 compete today (along with 280,000 men), according to the data company Statista.

The University of Washington and schools across the nation continue to vigilantly monitor compliance with Title IX. With this watchful eye, opportunities are sure to grow. As Husky Athletics kicks off a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, we’ll be sharing much more info in the months to come.

RECOMMENDED STORIES

Amanda and Hana Moll hug after competing

Student-Athletes

‘We’re in it for the joy’

The Moll twins focus on gratitude while soaring to phenomenal heights Where else is there to go after breaking countless national records as high school students? The obvious answer for twins Hana and Amanda Moll: You fly even higher at...


Read Story
Zoey Schaefer talks with Women's Soccer's Samiah Shell

Programs and More

Dinner with a Dawg offers insight into opportunities for life...

Growing up in inner-city Minneapolis, where virtually everyone lived at or below the poverty line, former Husky gymnast Zoey Schaefer dared to dream of a better life through education and athletics. “Most students were worried about where their next meal...


Read Story
Four student-athletes studying in Ackerley Academic center

Programs and More

Big Ten travel intensifies academic support

Student-athletes shine as all 22 teams earn a 3.0 GPA or better! Coast-to-coast flights, time zone changes and body-clock fatigue can plague any traveler. For student-athletes balancing study and sport, it can play havoc with grades and academic performance. But...


Read Story
Women's Golf Head Coach Mary Lou Mulflur smiles in fall landscape

Coaches and Staff

‘Remember me as a Dawg for life’

Retiring after four decades at the UW, Women’s Golf Head Coach reflects on her legacy Mary Lou Mulflur first stepped onto campus in 1976 as a wide-eyed teenager hoping to hone her golf game while earning her degree. Who knew...


Read Story
Pat Chun standing in front of Purple Reign sign

Athletic Director's Letter

Remaining steadfast to our mission during times of change

How quickly my first year at Washington has flown by — and what a memorable year it’s been! Since we officially joined the Big Ten Conference, our student-athletes have continued to excel academically and athletically in the most competitive conference...


Read Story
Frank Kepnang holds basketball on shoulder and looks off into the distance in a dark room with one bright window

Student-Athletes

‘I have a chance to rewrite my whole family story’

Basketball and the UW helped Franck Kepnang create a new life far from Cameroon’s sugar factories A chance meeting at a grocery store in the Cameroon capital city of Yaoundé — where a stranger asked, “Do you know what basketball...


Read Story
Rendering of new Football operations

Programs and More

Tyee donors transform the home of Husky Football

It’s All About the W. That mantra — Head Coach Jedd Fisch’s philosophy of focusing on “Work, Winning and Washington”— comes to life in a transformation of Football’s home within Husky Stadium. Thanks to Tyee Club members who donated to...


Read Story
Men's Rowing cheering and holding IRA Championship trophy

Programs and More

Huskies excel in inaugural Big Ten season

Your support propels student-athlete success Last fall, Washington was one of only two universities in the nation (along with North Carolina) to secure postseason berths for every team: Football, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, and Men’s and Women’s Cross Country....


Read Story
Eddie Smith, Jessa Hansen Parker, and Robert Tovar

Coaches and Staff

Welcome to Washington Athletics!

Two new head coaches and a program director join the Huskies in 2024-25. Dreams come true for Baseball’s Eddie Smith As a Little Leaguer and high schooler growing up in Olympia, Eddie Smith always dreamed of playing baseball at the...


Read Story