I didnt have the big picture in mind. Jody Conradt has reached the pinnacle of athletic success and has been honored by multiple halls of fame. In 1974, Pages Longhorns became the first womens team in UT history to play their games at Gregory Gym. Even then, I knew. As I think back on the early days of women's basketball, I think about how much of it is defined by not only Pat's success but her presence. Joanne Benton-McCrary, who played for Texas from 1988-1993, said Conradt taught her players more than basketball. Pages first team at Texas finished its club-based schedule with a 7-11 record. The states best coach in the mid-1970s? "Even though Jody was a fierce competitor on the court, she was a true friend to me off the court as well. More than two dozen of Conradts former players have gone on to play professionally. When you grew up in a small town, you only saw women doing one of two things, Conradt says. Summitt joined Conradt on the stage, flashed the "Hook'em Horns" sign and sang "The Eyes of Texas" with the crowd. Conradt to co-chair WBCA ethics committee [Feb. 26, 2010] Ford had met in the White House with a concerned Royal, Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler and Arkansas coach Frank Broyles. Striving for excellence. College athletics and college educations change their lives for the positive, allowing them to achieve careers and abilities to raise their families long after playing days end. Conradt honored with Lifetime Achievement Award by NACWAA [June 4, 2010] Heres what you need to know. Tickets are $89 in advance and $99 at the door. It was a labor of love., Page has spent the majority of his life educating young people. Moving forward as an individual to support the greater good of a team. I think we all did. Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level. At Texas, and thanks to Title IX, resources wouldnt be nearly so bare, though the struggle for respect and visibility would be ongoing. Long before the Lady Longhorns became a national brand, Page sought funds to buy new uniforms. The owner of roughly 10 scrapbooks and dozens of black-and-white photos of his time at UT, Page should never forget coaching the womens basketball team. At the end of the day, the counselors would play pickup, and I can remember being impressed with the wiry, hard-nosed guard with the thick Tennessee drawl. It wasnt until later, after I left, that I realized there was a whole world that didnt understand women in athletics, says Addie Jo, better known as Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach and University of Texas icon Jody Conradt. Gracious and dynamic as ever at age 81, Conradt on this day has come to UTs gleaming Frank Denius Family Athletics Hall of Fame to discuss the 50th anniversary of the civil rights law that changed her life and those of millions of other American women. Former Texas coach Conradt to receive statue. I had no idea the womens basketball team would blossom into what it has become today.. Being a teacher or, if I went to Brownwood, I might see a nurse.. Her aspirations were to teach. Well, not everyone was excited. Creating a model collegiate program that several other schools have tried to emulate, but few have managed to duplicate, she led her teams to over 900 wins and an undefeated 34-0 national championship in 1986. Two years after relinquishing the AD role, Conradt coached Texas to the 2003 Final Four. 1 of 4. Conradt was a high school teacher and assistant girls basketball coach under legendary Waco Midway school administrator M.T. Sharp did not respond to a request for an interview. It was also said that Swoopes asked Texas coach Jody Conradt for a transfer because she had been inappropriately approached sexually by a female He has two daughters in college. They took cars and vans to road games. My interest and my passion was to provide opportunities for young women, so that they would have the same kind of experience I had, she says. WebJody Conradts childhood revolved around community, family, friends and sports in the small West Texas town of Goldthwaite. Growing up in the 1950s in their close-knit community of As we sat there on that beautiful day in the fall, I remember thinking how fitting it was that we were sitting in a setting much like the one from 30 years before, talking about the game we loved, how much it had grown, and how fortunate we were to be a part of something special. jbyoungblood@austin.utexas.edu. You can see it. In the mid-70s, when Coach Jody Conradt was building a winning women's basketball program at Texas, she spent $5 on a magazine that explained North Carolina coach Dean Smith's run-and-jump defense. It would take six years. They often stayed with families, dining with people they didnt know. Lopiano said, sure, then went to find Royal as he headed out to football practice. So from 1992 to 2001, she did both jobs. Her time at UT also included coaching the sport's first undefeated national champion. 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After he was removed as basketball coach by Donna Lopiano, UTs first director of womens athletics department, he spent three more years at the Forty Acres as a physical education teacher. The statue will be unveiled at an invitation-only ceremony Friday. Or that in her 31 seasons at Texas, her teams aggregate graduation rate would be 99%. She is currently a special assistant in the UT athletic department. By 1986, both teams had become dominant forces in their respective leagues. Conradt was already known as a successful basketball and volleyball coach at Sam Houston State. At the time of her enshrinement, Conradt had been named National Coach of the Year and Southwest Conference Coach of the Year numerous times. Jody Conradt, former head coach of the University of Texas womens basketball team, is hailed as the one of the winningest coaches in college womens history. Jody Conradts childhood revolved around community, family, friends and sports in the small West Texas town of Goldthwaite. Doors will open at 8:00 AM. UTA won its first game and had to face top seed Stephen F. Austin, which had a first-round bye. Her love was basketball. Coach Conradt said, "That became the defensive philosophy I've always tried to follow." Under Rice, Conradt learned the value of fundamentals. In 1975, Texas, in response to Title IX, hired as the first director of its recently created womens athletic department a brusque, audacious 29-year-old visionary, Donna Lopiano. in physical education), Conradt first was a high school teacher and assistant girls basketball coach under legendary Waco Midway school administrator M.T. Your Account; Logout; Login; Create Account; Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Houston facing severe thunderstorms, possible tornadoes Thursday, Report: Houston ranked No. We played in the now-defunct Southwest Conference, Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference. With their quotes out of the NFL combine, DeMeco Ryans and Nick Caserio are acknowledging real change is planned in 2023. Texas president Bill Powers called Conradt a "truly historic" figure. Royal told Lopiano to get a copy of the budget from his assistant. Conradt's tenure at Midway opened the door for her to become the head women's basketball coach at Sam Houston State University in 1969, after finishing her This year, Texas won a school-record-tying four national championships and attained a school-record six national runner-up finishes. Creating a model collegiate program that several other schools have tried to emulate, but They, too, will have the same opportunities as their mom, in their own time. In 1992, after announcing her departure to become CEO of the Womens Sports Foundation, Lopiano covertly plotted a lawsuit by seven womens athletes that accused Texas of Title IX violations, a transformative moment that rocked UT and Lopianos AD successor, Conradt. Donna comes to my house on a Sunday morning and says, out of the blue, Im gonna take this job at the Womens Sports Foundation. Heres what you need to know. When President Richard Nixon signed the Education Amendments into law on June 23, 1972, the purpose of Title IX was to update Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned some forms of employment discrimination but did not address educational discrimination. We were at our states' preeminent public institutions. Clearly, for us, it wasn't about the money. Currently, it features two key components: Jody Conradt Opportunity Fund 2023 The University of Texas at Austin Athletics, J. Dan Brown Family Player Development Center, Conradt among National Sportsmanship Day 20th Anniversary honorees, Conradt honored with Joe Lapchick Character Award, Conradt honored with Lifetime Achievement Award by NACWAA, Conradt to co-chair WBCA ethics committee, Conradt to be honored with TAHPERD Pathfinder Award, Conradt selected as 2008 Naismith Outstanding Contributors to Basketball award winners, Conradt to receive Giant Steps Award from National Consortium for Academics and Sports, Sam Houston State University: 74-23 (1969-73), The University of Texas at Arlington: 43-39 (1973-76), The University of Texas at Austin: 783-245 (1976-2007), The University of Texas at Austin: 62-38-7 (1976-77), Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1998), National Coach of the Year (1979-80, 1985-86, 1996-97, 2003-04), Carol Eckmann Award for contributions to women's basketball, Women's Basketball Coaches Association (1987), The University of Texas-Arlington Athletics Hall of Honor (1987), The University of Texas Women's Athletics Hall of Honor (2000 inaugural class), International Women's Sports Hall of Fame, Women's Sports Foundation, New York (1995), Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Waco, Texas (1998), Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Knoxville, Tenn. (1999 inaugural class), International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame, Kingston, R.I. (2003), 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America, Institute for International Sport, Kingston, R.I. (2007), Giant Steps Award, National Consortium for Academics and Sports, Orlando, Fla. (2007), Outstanding Contributor to Basketball, Atlanta Tipoff Club (2008), Sam Houston State University Athletics Hall of Fame (2010), Texas Women's Hall of Fame, Dallas (1986), Baylor University Distinguished Alumnus (1989), Field Scovell Award, Dallas All-Sports Association (2003), Harvey Penick Award for Excellence in the Game of Life, Caritas of Austin (2003), CASEY Award, Kansas City Sports Association (2004), Woman of Distinction Award, Central Texas Girl Scouts (2005), Neighborhood Longhorns Linking Community With Education Award, Austin (2006), Most Worthy Citizen Award, Austin Board of Realtors (2007), Bridges Award, The Movement Organization, Austin (2007), Commencement Speaker, UT Graduation (2008), Legends Honoree, Dallas Texas Exes Chapter Texas-OU Weekend (2008), Distinguished speaker series, internships, Health and wellness research at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. Conradt steps aside from coaching [March 12, 2007] Conradt among National Sportsmanship Day 20th Anniversary honorees [Feb. 25, 2011] Texas, perhaps more than any university in the country, has grappled with, shaped and ultimately led the implementing of Title IX. Learn more and register here. Basketball players hand-me-down uniforms from the volleyball team. The University of Texas declared an Intercollegiate Athletics Department for Women in 1973 and formalized varsity sports for the 1974-75 academic year. A 38-year womens college basketball coaching career closed in March 2007, but The University of Texas has allowed me to remain active as a special assistant in administration to our energetic and passionate VP and athletics director Chris Del Conte. On Dec. 9, 1982, the first game of the Texas versus Tennessee series was born. Yainer Diaz becomes first Astros hitter to violate new MLB rules. Page was 24 years old when he became the first African-American head coach at the University of Texas. Established by the College of Liberal Arts and the Center for Women and Gender Studies, this fund is used primarily to support the "Inspire" program. WebJody Conradt began her illustrious basketball career as an outstanding player at Goldthwaite High School where she averaged 40 points per game. We knew we were women entering a male-dominated arena. Buy or Sell Tickets. We dominated the series early, going 4-0 from 1982-86 en route to becoming the NCAA's first undefeated team to win a national women's basketball championship. - Texas talent: Meet some of the most influential and pioneering female athletes in history, - As Title IX turns 50, University of Texas exes reflected on common bond of championships, - Jody Conradt, University of Texas embody the shaping, struggles and success of Title IX, - How pro path for female athletes has changed since Title IX, and where it needs to improve, - 50 years of Title IX: Meet the next generation of star female athletes from D-FW. 1 as 15 ranked teams lose, TCU coach Pebley to step down at end of season, Iowa's Clark hits 3 at buzzer to beat No. At Texas, it was the great adventure, says Lopiano, 75. And I think you should be athletic director because, if you dont take the role, theyre likely to combine the departments and well lose everything weve built. , Problem was, Conradt wanted to keep coaching. Page said the most influential figure during his time at Texas was the late Betty Thompson, a pioneer in womens athletics. We think about it being opportunity in sport, but it is opportunity in a lot of different areas. FILE - Texas forward Tiffany Jackson (33) points during Big 12 women's basketball tournament practice Monday, March 5, 2007 in Oklahoma City, Okla. Jackson, a former standout at the University of Texas who was the Conradt to receive Giant Steps Award from National Consortium for Academics and Sports [Jan. 28, 2008] In 38 years as a collegiate head coach, Conradts players won 900 games. When he came to Texas in 1996, the upper Midwesttransplant wouldn't have imagined heading a program that would give him four state championships. Increased paths for women athletes and women in general would be forged, but, at Texas, Lopiano knew where to start. She also served as interim director of the newly established department in 1974-75. "Of all the blockbuster statistics that paint the picture of Jody Conradt's storied career, the only number you really need to remember is 99. We also recognized our many connections. AUSTIN, Texas -- When the University of Texas hired Jody Conradt to coach its women's basketball team for $17,000 in 1976, one of the state's largest newspapers announced the move with the headline: "Woman Hired at Man's Salary.". Two of this years Longhorn national titles were by womens teams, rowing and tennis. (Editor's note: This is the fifth in a series of feature profiles on this year's Hall of Fame and Wall of Honor selections that will be posted every Thursday, leading up to the Nov. 22 Hall of Fame banquet.). This was not the case for many women prior to 1972. 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