Honoring the 45th anniversary of Title IX and its impact on CMS

Watch: Sporting Chance – The Lasting Legacy of Title IX

Over the 40 years since Claremont-Mudd-Scripps added women's intercollegiate athletics and changed its name from Claremont-Mudd, Athena teams have won 114 SCIAC championships (at least three in all 11 varsity sports) and 22 SCIAC All-Sports trophies. Success by the Athenas has also led to CMS' climb in the NCAA Division III Directors' Cup standings, particularly in the last decade.

A monumental moment in the United States took place when Congress proclaimed that "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."

Friday, June 23, 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of Title IX. One of the greatest impacts from Title IX has been in the area of women's intercollegiate athletics as evident with opportunities provided at programs like Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, and across the college landscape.
 
CMS sponsors 11 intercollegiate women's varsity teams: basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball and water polo.

Growth throughout all levels of women's athletics in the past 45 years is evident. Over the last 45 years, the number of girls participating in sports has increased from one in 27 to two in five. According to a survey recently released by the Women's Sports Foundation, nearly six in 10 U.S. adults (57 percent) approve of Title IX, with only nine percent disapproving and 33 percent saying they are either not sure or don't know enough to say. 

Timeline of women's sports at CMS

1976–77: Women's sports begin being sponsored by the SCIAC including basketball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. The SCIAC All-Sports competition expanded to include men's, women's and overall competitions. This was the year that Claremont-Mudd became Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

1977–78: Women's cross country is added. 

1978–79: Cross country is CMS' first women's SCIAC champion. 

1985-86: Women's soccer is added.

1987–88: The Athenas win the program’s first women’s soccer SCIAC title (the first of back-to-back titles for women’s soccer). The Athenas win the program’s first SCIAC All-Sports Trophy.

1988–89: The Athenas win the program's first SCIAC title in swimming.

1989–90: CMS adds softball (the SCIAC began sponsorship in 1986–87).

1990–91: Athenas win the program's first SCIAC title in softball.

1991–92: Athenas win the program's first SCIAC title in volleyball.

1993–94: Women's water polo added. Athenas win the program's first tennis SCIAC title.

1996–97: Women's water polo wins its first SCIAC title.

2002–03: Women's lacrosse added.

2006–07: Women's golf added to increase women's sports sponsorship to current number of 11.

2009-10: Lacrosse wins inaugural SCIAC title.

2011-12: Women's golf wins inaugural SCIAC title.

Additional Title IX Resources

Women's Sports Foundation

History of Title IX

NCAA.org 45 Years of Title IX

NCAA.org Title IX FAQ

Title IX Info

Know Your IX

By Chris Watts
Claremont McKenna College
Public Affairs Office

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