EXHIBITS

USU female athletes from a variety of sports pose in USU's Spectrum

Utah State University had women’s athletics very early on in its history, including a softball team organized in 1901. However, all game play was local, and the school did not provide financial support and resources to women’s teams like they did to men’s teams. That changed with the passage of Title IX. 

Enacted on June 23, 1972, Title IX prohibited sex-based discrimination in education and 2022 marks the 50 year anniversary.

How exactly that would look would take many years to figure out as schools fought over what the law required them to do. One thing was clear: schools would now be required to support women’s athletics much more than they ever had before.