MIAMI (June 23, 2017) – On June 23, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed into law Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX states that "no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal assistance." Three months later FIU opened its doors as 5,667 students entered the state's newest university.
 
The FIU Athletic Department has grown over the last 45 years, making great strides in women's athletics. When FIU first started, there were only five male intercollegiate athletic teams (wrestling, men's tennis, men's golf, baseball and men's soccer) and no women's squads. Today, the Panthers host 11 women's programs. A big part of that evolution was retired founding faculty member Dr. Judy Blucker.
 
That year, the then-assistant professor in the College of Education spearheaded the launching of women's varsity sports at FIU, including volleyball, softball and women's golf. Prior to fielding its first full team in 1974, women's golf produced the school's first-ever All-American and LPGA Hall of Famer Pat Bradley, who represented the then-Sunblazers in 1973.
 
Over the last 45 years, FIU's women's programs have produced 49 All-Americans, 24 conference championships and have appeared in postseason action more than 75 times.
 
During the 2016-17 academic year, FIU saw a number of its women's program continue to garner success. The women's swimming and diving program claimed its third-straight Conference USA title and saw Rebecca Quesnel become the program's first First-Team All-American. The softball team earned its third bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers posted a school-record 46 wins (including a school-record 17 wins in a row) and a program-best winning percentage (.754). Beach volleyball advanced to the CCSA Championship Match, falling to No. 4-ranked Florida State. The Panthers finished the year ranked No. 10 in the nation by the AVCA and No. 9 in the nation by DiG Magazine. Women's tennis posted a 21-2 record with the team's only losses coming against No. 1 Florida (2017 NCAA National Champions) and No. 37 Rice (Conference USA Champions). The Panthers won a school-record 19-straight matches en route to their second-straight appearance in the C-USA Championship match. Clarissa Cutliff earned Second-Team All-America honors following her performance in the high jump at this year's NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. She followed that up with Second Team All-America honors, sharing 12^th-place in the high jump finals at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Camila Serrano, the C-USA Golfer of the Year, became the sixth FIU golfer to qualify for an NCAA Regional and just the third to advance as an individual to the National Championship.
 
Success was not just limited to FIU's student-athletes. Head Coach Rita Buck-Crockett was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Buck-Crockett, a native of San Antonio, Texas, was one of eight new members to be inducted into the Class of 2017 and is the first volleyball player to ever be inducted into the TSHOF.

Because of Title IX, FIU Athletics has seen a tremendous amount of success over the past four decades and will continue to grow and flourish for the next generation of student-athletes affected by this groundbreaking law signed 45 years ago.  
 
Because of Title IX: Rita Buck-Crockett – Assistant AD/Head Coach, FIU Indoor and Beach Volleyball
"Title IX was the best thing that could have happened to my generation in order to give the generation today so many opportunities as student athletes. I had the pleasure of working under Dr. Christine Grant, the leader in the push for Title IX, and will always be grateful to her for what she did for us all." 
 
Because of Title IX: Tiara Malcom – Head Coach, FIU Women's Basketball
"Because of Title IX and all of the pioneers that fought to get it where it is, I was afforded the opportunity to get a scholarship, participate in collegiate athletics, and enjoy the benefits of having resources similar to every athlete that was competing at the University of Delaware where I played. Although there is more work that needs to be done, I am appreciative of being a minority female head coach, and having the opportunity to impact young lives and mentor young athletes at such a vital time in their development."
 
Because of Title IX: Liz Augustin - FIU Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Development and Community Relations
"Because of Title IX, I was afforded the opportunity to receive a first-class education while I competed in a sport that I loved. Now today, I use my platform to mentor and empower a younger generation of women to make an impact in their community and the world."