Women in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal Study. Twenty Five Year Update, 1977-2002.

This paper presents data from a 25-year study of women in intercollegiate sports. The opportunity for female athletes to participate in intercollegiate athletics generally increased over time. The same six sports continue to be the most popular: basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, cross country, and softball, with soccer exhibiting the greatest growth of any sport. About 44 percent of the coaches of women's teams are female, down from 45.6 percent in 2000. When Title IX was enacted in 1972, most women's teams were coached by women. Most of the new coaching jobs in women's athletics since 2000 have been filled by males. Women hold just over half of the paid assistant coaching jobs within the women's NCAA intercollegiate programs and just under half of the unpaid positions. Nearly 18 percent of women's programs are directed by females, and nearly 19 percent have no females anywhere in the athletic administrative structure. When Title IX was enacted, most women's programs were directed by a female head administrator. About 12 percent of full time sports information directors are females, and over 27 percent of full time head athletic trainers are females. (SM)