UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (WTAJ) — Thursday marked the 50th anniversary of Title IX being signed into law.
Penn State has 14 women’s varsity teams. Nine are coached by women, which is the second-most female head coaches at a Big Ten university. Ohio State leads the conference with 11.
| Name | Sport | Since | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra Anghelescu | Tennis | 2019 | 32-22 |
| Sarah Brown | Gymnastics | 2017 | 28-45 |
| Clarisa Crowell | Softball | 2020 | 39-56 |
| Erica Dambach | Soccer | 2007 | 243-84-22 |
| Missy Doherty | Lacrosse | 2011 | 126-85 |
| Carolyn Kieger | Basketball | 2019 | 27-56 |
| Charlene Morett-Curtiss | Field Hockey | 1987 | 524-219-9 |
| Katie Schumacher-Cawley | Volleyball | 2022 | 0-0 |
| Denise St. Pierre | Golf | 1991 |
Sandy Barbour is just the second female athletic director in conference history. She is the only active woman in charge of an athletic department, though she will retire on July 1.
During Barbour’s eight-year tenure in Happy Valley, Penn State has won six team national championships, including one in women’s soccer and one in volleyball.
Mag Strittmatter, the first woman to receive a Penn State athletic scholarship, says Barbour’s legacy will that of opening doors for other women at high-profile institutions.
“My hope is she’s the first of many and not the last that she has kicked open that door for women at a very prominent university in a very prominent conference,” said Strittmatter. “Just keep in mind, that it’s the Big Ten. That’s a very prominent conference to keep that high profile and to have the university be shepherding in someone of her caliber and quality and having others follow her in the years ahead.”