🔓UF celebrates 50 years of women’s athletics

During women’s history month, News 6 has covered the incredible stories of doctors, entertainers and community trailblazers, leading the way for the future of women.

Can you believe it was just 50 years ago the University of Florida was the first university in the southeastern conference to form a women’s athletics program?

“Women’s athletics has come a long way and they’re doing very well here,” Coach Mimi Howard said.

[TRENDING: Did teen’s big size factor in Orlando thrill ride death? | This is the No. 1 excuse speeding drivers use to get out of tickets | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]

Howard was the first varsity coach of women’s golf at UF. Before it was a varsity team, it was just a club. Wanting to compete in intercollegiate conferences just like the men, Howard met with other female coaches creating a proposal.

“There were a few of us that went to a meeting in Orlando. Women’s physical education teachers got together decided we wanted to start women’s athletics in the state of Florida,” Howard said.

In 1972, months before the passing of Title IX, UF would approve the proposal fielding women’s teams including golf, track, basketball, swimming and gymnastics.

Title IX is a federal civil rights law that was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives funding from the federal government. The law didn’t say anything about sports.

“We had to push and work hard. Once we got going and they found out how successful we were, it was a different deal. They became more accepting of what we were trying to do,” Howard said.

The teams competed in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, laying the foundation for student athletes like gymnast Megan Skaggs.

“I think often it can be a competition for recognition. I think women work just as hard, if not harder to succeed in our sports,” Skaggs said.

UF was the first in the southeastern conference to accomplish funding for a women’s program. Coaches said at the time, recruitment wasn’t a problem.

“The kids came to us, through word of mouth,” Howard said.

UF has since secured 165 national or conference championships with the program of more than 2,700 female student athletes.

“It’s so empowering to be able to stand alongside some of my teammates who are also incredible people, women and athletes and crazy cool people,” Skaggs said. “I do think it can be difficult to gain the recognition you deserve that’s why it’s so important to celebrate 50 years of women’s athletics.”

Even Pepsi Co. is getting in on the celebration releasing commemorative Pepsi cans featuring Alberta, UF’s female mascot. The cans also have a gator-skin texture.

Pepsi made 50 of the commemorative cans and UF gave them away through a social media campaign in early March.