1993 to 1994 – National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators

As NACWAA continued to boom in the 90’s, the workload quickly became too heavy for the President and Board of Directors, all of whom were employed full-time at their respective universities and conferences. After 14 years without a full-time NACWAA director and years of preparation and discussion, Jane Betts was named the first NACWAA executive director in December of 1993 on a volunteer basis.

During Jane’s first year as executive director and President Marilyn McNeil’s year as president, NACWAA continued to battle through the ebbs and flows of gender equity, fighting for a more gender fair atmosphere in college athletics.

In the words of Marilyn: “Gender equity is not an option; it is obligatory under federal and some state law. The debate should not be if an institution should create a gender fair environment, but how” (NACWAA Newsletter Vol. 11.3).

To put the plan into motion, Marilyn presented on behalf of NACWAA to the Presidents Commission Liaison Committee to discuss the mission of NACWAA, clarify the definition of a ‘gender fair’ atmosphere, and request a mandated Senior Woman Administrator position.

With the help of Laura J. Fawcett, NACWAA’s first official intern, Marilyn conducted a research study titled “The Senior Woman Administrator: A Qualitative Study.” The purpose of this study was to answer “Who is the SWA and what are (or should be) her responsibilities?” (Vol. 11.3). The research sample included 10 SWAs from 10 different conferences across the country.

The findings of this study provided a more clear description to the SWA position: “The SWA is a person who acts as a safeguard for women and gender equity, monitors equity progress, is a spokeswoman in administrative meetings, and has review rights for budget issues” (Vol. 11.3).

Other major accomplishments from NACWAA during this time (NACWAA Newsletter Vol. 11.4, NACWAA Newsletter 12.1):

• For the first time in NACWAA history, NCAA Executive Director Ced Dempsey spoke at the NACWAA Fall Forum
• The ongoing Acosta and Carpenter Study showed the most growth for women in its 17 year-long study: participation rates, percentage of female head coaches, programs administered by women, and the number of schools with a woman’s voice in administration all saw tremendous growth

NACWAA continued to be committed to recognizing the achievements and successes of administrators working in athletics. Click here to view all NACWAA/ Women Leaders in College Sports award winners.

Dr. Marilyn McNeil is the current Vice President and Director of Athletics at Monmouth University and has served at the top for 25 years. She was not only the first woman to be named athletic director at Monmouth, but also the first woman to be named a Division l athletic director in the state of New Jersey.

Prior to Monmouth, Marilyn was the associate athletic director at California Polytechnic State University, a Division II program that transitioned to Division I under her leadership. While at Cal Poly, Marilyn served as the head women’s basketball coach, associate athletic director, and SWA for 15 years.

Marilyn served on the Division I NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics and the Management Council. She also chaired both the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and the NACDA FCS Council. Marilyn was awarded a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1968 from the University of Calgary, a master’s degree in physical education in 1974 from McGill University, and a doctoral degree in higher education administration in 1993 from Washington State University.

Marilyn was a basketball and volleyball student-athlete during her undergraduate and was a member of the Canadian National Championship curling team, competing in the first World Curling Championships.

President Bill Clinton signed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as a part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, providing funding for programs that help victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, stalking and other gender related violence.

VAWA was a direct response to the inadequacies of state justice systems in dealing with violent crimes against women. This multifaceted statute addressed the inequality that women victims of violence face in the state justice systems.

Additional news in 1993:

Toni Morrison won the Nobel Peace Prize in Literature for her novel, Beloved. Morrison was the first African-American to hold such a distinction.