December 23, 2022

Eagles Recognize 50th Year Anniversary of Title IX

WILMORE, Ky. – June 23, 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX. This federal civil rights law has been credited with profoundly changing education in the United States by barring sex discrimination in the nation's schools.

This year marks a milestone anniversary for the federal statute that has helped girls and women advance in a variety of educational spheres, including athletics.

Thanks to Title IX, Asbury Athletics has been changed since that day, allowing female athletes to accomplish their goals and become champions.

 
Asbury University Athletics is proud to be represented by 142 female student-athletes, as well as three female head coaches including Tiffany Horton (Volleyball), Ally Moore (Softball), and Katie Wall (Cheerleading).
Asbury Athletics is comprised of nine individual female sports including basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.

An enormous contributor to the Athletic Department is Erin Ferguson, the department's Assistant Athletics Director / Senior Woman Administrator (5th Year). 

Erin joined #TeamAU in February 2018 and has been responsible for overseeing the athletic department's financial operations along with team travel and eligibility. In 2020, her role expanded to include serving as the lead female athletics administrator. An accomplished high school and college athlete, she earned First-Team All-America soccer honors twice at Indiana Wesleyan University, where she graduated in 2005. Asbury's Athletic department would not be able to excel and continue to improve without the leadership and effort of Erin.

Asbury's athletic training staff is represented by three experienced board certified athletic trainers, two who are skillful women in the field. We are grateful for our training staff who take care of our athletes and remove barriers to allow them to compete at the intercollegiate level, including Kelsey Lang (Associate Head Athletic Trainer) and Angela Huston (Assistant Athletic Trainer).

“Asbury Athletics is happy to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX. This represents opportunities for literally thousands of female student-athletes through the years who came to AU to earn a degree and compete. We are grateful that God continues to use the platform of intercollegiate athletics for His glory. Dr. Rita Pritchett was a champion for women’s sports at Asbury and established a legacy of excellence and commitment for TeamAU.”

Mark Whitworth I VP for Intercollegiate Athletics & University Communications

Dr. Rita Pritchett

Dr. Pritchett was a strong leader in the Title IX matter during her career and opened many opportunities for women in sports and sports administration. 

She established and then coached women's volleyball, softball, tennis and track and field during her 27 year coaching career at Asbury. She was also the first ever woman athletic director at the college or university level in Kentucky and served in that capacity for 10 years. Dr. Pritchett was the catalyst in initiating Asbury College's first women's intercollegiate basketball program and directed the re-establishment of the men's intercollegiate basketball program. She spent 40 years teaching and helping Asbury College grow and develop from club sports and NAIA affiliation and to University status.

Asbury University is grateful to Dr. Pritchett for her lifetime of contribution to intercollegiate sports and her work to implement Title IX at Asbury and throughout the state.

Thank you to all of the women like Dr. Pritchett who have advocated for and blazed a trail for future women in sports and education to receive priceless opportunities.

Asbury Athletics is thankful for Title IX and the ways that it has cleared the path for female leadership and excellence in Athletics.