DURHAM, N.C. – Duke Athletics is proud to celebrate 50 Years of Women's Varsity Athletics. A commemoration of the rich history of women's sports at Duke University will take place throughout the year with a digital campaign highlighting each Blue Devil women's athletic program on social media, a fundraising campaign and two feature events. Fans and supporters can follow along across Duke Athletics' social channels with the hashtag #DukeWomens50.
"Duke Athletics is extremely proud and excited to host its annual celebration of women's athletics with an emphasis this year on the 50th anniversary of women's varsity sports at Duke University," incoming Vice President and Director of Athletics Nina King said. "We look forward to engaging the Durham community and empowering youth to show the valuable impact of sport across all ages and genders at both our gala and youth clinic, while highlighting our 13 women's athletic programs across Duke Athletics' social and digital platforms. Further, the yearlong celebration coincides with the 50th anniversary of Title IX. We couldn't be more enthusiastic about promoting women in sports, while raising funds to support scholarships for female Blue Devil student-athletes in the process."
The first of our featured events is a fundraiser gala to be held on the weekend of Feb. 11, 2022. Funds raised will help provide scholarships and support resources for female Duke student-athletes for years to come. The celebration will also include a youth clinic, showcasing our female varsity sports in an interactive fashion. Both events will be held on Duke's campus. Official details about these and any auxiliary events will be announced at a later time.
An additional highlight of the year's celebration is the 50 for 50 Fundraising Project, launched to recognize the female student-athletes who have represented Duke and their sport with tremendous character and dedication. The goal of the project is to raise $2.5 million this fiscal year through 50 gifts of $50,000 or more in support of Duke Women's Athletics. Gifts can be allocated to women's athletics in a variety of ways, including a targeted gift to a women's varsity sport of the donor's choosing, a women's athletic scholarship or a women's capital initiative or special project. Giving options may take the form of an outright gift, a multi-year pledge or an estate gift.
"We are confident that those individuals who have enjoyed watching female Duke student-athletes throughout the years will especially want to show their support during this very special year," said Tom Coffman, Deputy Director of Athletics/Philanthropy.
For more information on the 50 for 50 Fundraising Project, including ways to give to our campaign, click here.
To help us kick off the yearlong celebration and 50 for 50 Fundraising Project, you're invited to attend the Duke Athletics Women's Olympic Panel. This virtual event is being hosted by our WIN-Athletics committee and will include two-time Duke field hockey captain and ESPN Executive Vice President of Commercial Marketing, Networks and ESPN, Laura Gentile ('94) who will moderate an impressive panel of internationally accomplished Duke athletes. Lindsey Harding ('07), Abby Johnston McGrath ('13) and Leslie Marx ('89) will share their experiences as student-athletes, their Olympic journeys and what Title IX has meant to them. Register here.
In total, Duke sponsors 13 women's athletic programs which have collectively won eight team national titles and 12 individual national titles. The first Duke sponsored women's varsity athletics program was field hockey beginning in 1972. Most recently, softball became the latest added to our Blue Devil family with its first season of competition taking place in 2018.
"As we approach the 50th Anniversary of Women's Varsity Athletics at Duke, I am reminded of how proud I am to have served as the women's lacrosse coach for the last twenty-six years. When I arrived at Duke in January of 1995, never could I imagine how Duke Athletics would grow and evolve in its robust commitment to women's athletics," head coach of Duke Women's Lacrosse Kerstin Kimel said. "I am deeply appreciative of the university and athletic departments leadership and vision which has afforded our women's programs the opportunity and resources to build championship caliber programs and provide a world class experience for our outstanding student-athletes. It is with a tremendous sense of gratitude that Duke Women's Lacrosse forges into the 2021-22 school year and this yearlong celebration of women's varsity athletics."
The yearlong celebration of 50 Years of Women's Varsity Athletics at Duke will also include our third-annual recognition of National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), which began in 1987 as a special day in our nation's capital to recognize women's sports. NGWSD is celebrated annually in all 50 states and our celebration of women's sports will culminate next summer with the 50th anniversary of the passing of Title IX. Passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal assistance. The full language of Title IX states, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of 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."
For more information, contact dukewomens50@duke.edu or visit our website DukeWomens50.com.
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