IU Athletics Announces Launch of Women's Excellence Initiative
8/18/2021 11:30:00 AM | Field Hockey, General, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Golf, Women's Rowing, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Track and Field, Women's Volleyball, Women's Water Polo, Varsity Club
Bloomington, Indiana – IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson announced today the launch of the Indiana University Athletics Women's Excellence, a fundraising effort designed to elevate our 13 women's varsity sports and to enhance the overall student-athlete experience of IU's nearly 350 female student-athletes.
As the name suggests, the funds generated from Indiana Athletics Women's Excellence will exclusively support IU's women's varsity programs and its student-athletes. Enhanced athletic, academic and leadership opportunities are among the areas that will be targeted.
"We are extremely proud of our tradition of success in women's athletics, which includes a national team title, numerous Big Ten Championships and Olympic champions," said Dolson. "We celebrate those successes, and appreciate the ground-breaking work done by our pioneer student-athletes, coaches and administrators.
"But part of honoring those individuals and celebrating all that we have accomplished is pushing forward to support our current and future female student-athletes so that they are empowered to achieve in competition, in the classroom, and eventually in their communities as Indiana University graduates. That's what this initiative is all about."
While some of the initiative's funding objectives - such as enhanced foreign training trip opportunities, addressing equipment needs and facility improvements – are obvious priorities, enriched personal development opportunities is also a focus. Those services would ultimately be delivered through the IU Excellence Academy, which is led by IU Deputy Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Mattie White.
"Women's Excellence will improve the opportunities for athletic success for our female student-athletes while they are at IU, and our focus isn't limited to that four or five-year window," White said. "Whether it's through leadership training or community engagement opportunities, the Excellence Academy is focused on providing our students with the tools to be difference-makers in their communities long after their days as an IU student-athlete are over. That's why the Excellence Academy's programming is another key element of this initiative. The ability to welcome more speakers and influential leaders to campus to engage with our students, the chance to enrich our programming offerings, those are important parts of what we want to offer our female student-athletes when they come to Indiana University."
In addition to seeking support of levels both big and small from a wide range of individuals including former IU student-athletes and general supporters of IU women's athletics, the initiative is also focused on identifying a series of founding donors.
The Indiana Athletics Women's Excellence launch comes at an ideal time, as it coincides with the recent upswing of success for IU's women's athletic programs overall. Last season, IU Women's Basketball set a new program-record with 16 Big Ten wins and advanced to the Elite Eight. Women's Swimming and Diving had an individual win and NCAA title for the fifth consecutive year, and placed in the top-15 at NCAAs for the 13th straight time. IU also had six former female student-athletes compete in this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Those most recent successes, coupled with the rapid progress of other programs in recent years, shows what is possible for all of IU's women's athletic programs. This initiative is designed to turn those possibilities into realities.
"The launch of Indiana Athletics Women's Excellence is a game-changer for female student-athletes at Indiana University," said IU Head Women's Basketball Coach Teri Moren. "The sky is the limit for each of our 13 women's sports and it's only a matter of time before we will be celebrating more championships won by these strong and talented women. This initiative will only enhance the experience that our athletes will enjoy while earning a degree from one of the finest institutions in the country."
"There is no doubt in my mind that the impact of IU Athletics' Women's Excellence is going to be life changing for all of my fellow female student-athletes who are currently or soon-to-be Hoosiers," said IU Women's Soccer senior Allison Jorden. "However, what I think is most special about this specific initiative is its ability to simultaneously inspire the next generation. When we put resources into making the experience of women's athletics as memorable as possible, we are painting a picture of an amazing dream to chase for all of the little girls who are watching. This initiative and all who support it are going to be spreading support and inspiration far beyond Bloomington."
To learn more about this initiative, visit iuhoosiers.com/we.
Email iuwe@indiana.edu with any questions.
As the name suggests, the funds generated from Indiana Athletics Women's Excellence will exclusively support IU's women's varsity programs and its student-athletes. Enhanced athletic, academic and leadership opportunities are among the areas that will be targeted.
"We are extremely proud of our tradition of success in women's athletics, which includes a national team title, numerous Big Ten Championships and Olympic champions," said Dolson. "We celebrate those successes, and appreciate the ground-breaking work done by our pioneer student-athletes, coaches and administrators.
"But part of honoring those individuals and celebrating all that we have accomplished is pushing forward to support our current and future female student-athletes so that they are empowered to achieve in competition, in the classroom, and eventually in their communities as Indiana University graduates. That's what this initiative is all about."
While some of the initiative's funding objectives - such as enhanced foreign training trip opportunities, addressing equipment needs and facility improvements – are obvious priorities, enriched personal development opportunities is also a focus. Those services would ultimately be delivered through the IU Excellence Academy, which is led by IU Deputy Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Mattie White.
"Women's Excellence will improve the opportunities for athletic success for our female student-athletes while they are at IU, and our focus isn't limited to that four or five-year window," White said. "Whether it's through leadership training or community engagement opportunities, the Excellence Academy is focused on providing our students with the tools to be difference-makers in their communities long after their days as an IU student-athlete are over. That's why the Excellence Academy's programming is another key element of this initiative. The ability to welcome more speakers and influential leaders to campus to engage with our students, the chance to enrich our programming offerings, those are important parts of what we want to offer our female student-athletes when they come to Indiana University."
In addition to seeking support of levels both big and small from a wide range of individuals including former IU student-athletes and general supporters of IU women's athletics, the initiative is also focused on identifying a series of founding donors.
The Indiana Athletics Women's Excellence launch comes at an ideal time, as it coincides with the recent upswing of success for IU's women's athletic programs overall. Last season, IU Women's Basketball set a new program-record with 16 Big Ten wins and advanced to the Elite Eight. Women's Swimming and Diving had an individual win and NCAA title for the fifth consecutive year, and placed in the top-15 at NCAAs for the 13th straight time. IU also had six former female student-athletes compete in this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Those most recent successes, coupled with the rapid progress of other programs in recent years, shows what is possible for all of IU's women's athletic programs. This initiative is designed to turn those possibilities into realities.
"The launch of Indiana Athletics Women's Excellence is a game-changer for female student-athletes at Indiana University," said IU Head Women's Basketball Coach Teri Moren. "The sky is the limit for each of our 13 women's sports and it's only a matter of time before we will be celebrating more championships won by these strong and talented women. This initiative will only enhance the experience that our athletes will enjoy while earning a degree from one of the finest institutions in the country."
"There is no doubt in my mind that the impact of IU Athletics' Women's Excellence is going to be life changing for all of my fellow female student-athletes who are currently or soon-to-be Hoosiers," said IU Women's Soccer senior Allison Jorden. "However, what I think is most special about this specific initiative is its ability to simultaneously inspire the next generation. When we put resources into making the experience of women's athletics as memorable as possible, we are painting a picture of an amazing dream to chase for all of the little girls who are watching. This initiative and all who support it are going to be spreading support and inspiration far beyond Bloomington."
To learn more about this initiative, visit iuhoosiers.com/we.
Email iuwe@indiana.edu with any questions.
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