This year marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which was signed into law on June 23, 1972, and has helped create equal opportunities for female athletes. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on gender in educational institutions which receive federal financial assistance. To commemorate the 50th anniversary, UTSA Athletics has launched an initiative to dive deeper into how this landmark legislation has opened doors for women's sports to grow in America.

UTSA Women's Athletics Milestones

1981 – Women’s basketball program competes in its first season under head coach Ginny DeHaven.

1981-82 – Women’s cross country/track & field program competes in its first season under head coach Jim Skaines.

1981-82 – Women’s tennis team competes in its first season under head coach Becky Roberts.

1983 – The volleyball team participates in its first season under the guidance of Fred Battenfield.

1985 – The women’s track & field program became the first UTSA team in any sport to earn an NCAA postseason finish by placing 49th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Starlite Williams became the first All-American in any sport at UTSA after finishing eighth in the triple jump.

1991-93 – The women’s cross country program claims the Southland Conference Championship for the first time in 1991 and in the following two seasons for three consecutive titles.

1992 – The softball program competes in its first season under head coach Chickie Mason.

1992 – The women’s track & field program sweeps Southland Conference indoor and outdoor titles.

1996 - The women’s cross country team registered the highest NCAA postseason finish by any program in UTSA history, placing 19th at the NCAA Championships in Tucson, Arizona.

1998 – The women’s tennis program claimed its first conference championship, winning the Southland Conference regular season crown.

1999 – Lynn Hickey named the first female director of athletics at UTSA.

1999 & 2000 - The volleyball program claimed its first conference championship and won the Southland Conference Tournament title one year later to earn its first NCAA postseason berth.

2001 – The first UTSA student-athlete to have a jersey retired is softball student-athlete, Amanda Michalsky.

2002 – The women’s tennis squad makes it to the program’s first postseason, appearing in the Austin Regional.

2003 – The women’s basketball team wins its first conference championship, claiming the Southland regular season crown.

2004 & 2006 — The softball team captured three straight Southland Conference crowns and made NCAA Regional appearances in 2004 and ’06.

2005-06 – The women’s golf program competes in its first season under head coach Holly Tothe.

2006 – The soccer team plays its first season under head coach Steve Ballard.

2008 & 2009 — The women’s basketball team made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, nearly upsetting No. 2 seed Baylor in overtime in the 2009 First Round in Lubbock.

2010 — Monica Gibbs has her basketball jersey officially retired in a pregame ceremony.

2010 – The soccer program wins its first championship at the Southland Conference Tournament and advances to the NCAA postseason for the first time.

2011 - The women’s golf program earns its first NCAA postseason berth when it was selected for an NCAA Regional after winning the first of back-to-back Southland Conference titles.

2013 — The women’s golf team receives the first at-large NCAA postseason selection by any UTSA sport when it is selected for the NCAA Central Regional in Norman, Oklahoma.

2013 — UTSA opens Park West Athletics Complex, home of the soccer and track & field programs. 

2013 — The women's cross country team captured the first Conference USA championship by any UTSA sport in November, followed later that month with regular season and tournament titles won by the volleyball team.

2017 — Dr. Lisa Campos is named UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics.

2021 — The soccer program turned in one of the most successful seasons in program history by recording its best winning percentage (.630), the second-most wins (10) and highest conference regular season finish.

2022 — The women’s golf program earned its fourth straight and seventh overall NCAA postseason berth, finishing sixth at the NCAA Franklin Regional. Camryn Carreon became the first Roadrunner to advance to the NCAA Championships after tying for fourth at the regional.