Indiana University Athletics
I Association Announces Inaugural Leanne L. Grotke Award Winners
11/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
Nov. 10, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana University I Association announced Friday the 2008 recipients of the inaugural Leanne L. Grotke Award at its awards ceremony held at the Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center.
This year's Leanne L. Grotke Award recipients are Marjorie J. Albohm, Anita Aldrich, S. Kay Burrus, Margaret A. Cummins-Schaefer and Dean Summers.
The Leanne L. Grotke award is presented to living I Women who, as alumnae, have made outstanding contributions to Indiana University through service to its athletics programs. Grotke, the first female associate athletic director for Indiana University, was characterized by her commitment to excellence, high ideals and principles. Grotke came to IU in 1967 as the coordinator of intramural and extramural women's sports. During the 1973-74 school year she was named the first full-time Associate Athletic Director for Women's Athletics in the Big Ten.
Albohm became one of the first women ever certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association. She was named Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer by the organization and is a member of its Hall of Fame. Albohm has served on the medical staff of the 1996 Olympics, 1991 World Gymnastics Championships, 1988 U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials, 1987 Pan American Games and the 1980 Winter Olympics. She serves as a board member for the Datalys Sports Injury Surveillance Center in Indianapolis.
Aldrich began her service at IU in 1965 when she arrived to head the women's program in the school of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. In 1975 she became the acting dean of the School of HPER and in 1977 was chosen to chair the combined men's and women's Physical Education departments. She also spent nine years as a member of the University Athletics Committee and was a driving force behind the adoption of Title IX legislation.
Burrus began her teaching career at Indiana in 1962, while also coaching field hockey in the Department of Physical Education, later renamed the Department of Kinesiology. As women's sports at the University were assimilated into the men's program, she played an integral role in the Department of Athletics. As head field hockey coach she posted winning records in 13 of 14 seasons while also serving as head women's basketball coach for three of those years. Burrus served as president of the Midwest Association for College and University Physical Education from 1987-90.
Cummins-Schaefer is a native Hoosier and was runner-up in the first Indiana Girl's Golf Association State Championship in 1958. After receiving a master's degree in 1967 from Smith College, Cummins-Schaefer joined the faculty at Indiana in the Department of Kinesiology where she started the IU women's golf program and served as head coach for 11 seasons. Cummins-Schaefer was chairwoman of the Midwest Committee on Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women's Golf and the IU Women's Intercollegiate Governing Board.
Summers spent 34 years as a faculty member in the School of HPER until her retirement in 1980. She was the only woman called upon to serve on the building committee when HPER moved from the student building to its present location in 1961. With the passage of Title IX legislation, Dean was responsible for launching the women's tennis and synchronized swimming programs.
