BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green State University celebrates the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on this date (June 23) in 1972. The signing of Title IX into law was the catalyst that created equal opportunities for female student-athletes at institutions of higher learning across the country.
While sports were available prior to Title IX at BGSU dating back to 1914, they were under the women's physical education or intramurals department. The fall of 1976 the first athletic scholarships were awarded to women and there was a merger of the women's and men's intercollegiate athletic departments.