By Mike Pearson
FightingIllini.com
"We have gone from being unrecognized to being recognized; from being excluded to being included; from nobody to somebody."
– Karol Kahrs, 1974
The University of Illinois' 1974-75 athletics staff.
History reveals that Bevier Hall was the site for an Aug. 22, 1974 organizational meeting that invited all University of Illinois women interested in participating in the Fighting Illini's maiden season of varsity intercollegiate sports.
Approximately 125 curious young ladies listened attentively as Director of Athletics Cecil Coleman and newly appointed assistant director Karol Kahrs provided an overview of the adventures that lied ahead.
"This male chauvinist world we've lived in for so long has not yet made room for the fairer sex in the Tribe of Illini," Coleman said that night. "That time has now come."
In actuality, the University was one of collegiate athletics' pioneering programs, elevating women to a plane level with their male counterparts about seven months before Title IX became law in the United States on Jan. 1, 1975.
The majority of Kahrs' first coaching staff—Betsy Kimpel (golf), Kim Musgrave (gymnastics), Jeanne Hultzen (swimming), Doug Ward (diving), Peggy Pruitt (tennis), Jerry Mayhew and Judy Harrison (track and field), Kathie Haywood (volleyball) and Steve Douglas (basketball)—had been plucked from UI's physical education staff. None of the seven individuals had ever directed programs at the varsity level, so a Lewis-and-Clark-type adventure was certain to ensue.
UI's very first women's varsity competitions occurred on Sept. 14 when women's tennis and volleyball launched their seasons. By the end of that first day, Illini teams had a combined record of 3-0. Tennis's Sept. 14th match against Purdue, a 7-5 victory, not only marked UI women's athletics' very first competition, but also its first home event. The volleyball team had a pair of matches that day, first defeating host Southern Illinois, 2-0, then beating Murray State by an identical score.
Colleen McNamara was one of the 1974-75 Illini tennis team's standout performers.
By far, Pruitt's tennis team wound up with the best season record among UI's seven women's programs, notching victories in all six of its dual meets. It placed fifth in April's then unofficial Big Ten Championship meet behind champ Ohio State and runner-up Michigan State.
Haywood's volleyball squad had an excellent showing as well in the Fall of 1974, winning 19 of its 28 matches. It won its own Illini Invitational that November and placed fourth at the IAIAW State Championships. Haywood resigned her post at the end of the season and was replaced by the school's first-ever African American head coach, Terry Hite.
Action from Illini volleyball's inaugural season.
Illinois women's golf team saw its first varsity action on Sept. 20, placing fifth among 25 teams at the Illinois State Invitational. A week later, it finished second in the IAIAW state tournament. In April, at the 36-hole Big Ten tournament, Illinois placed fourth among seven conference schools while, individually, UI's Diane Miller tied for fifth place.
Coach Steve Douglas's Illini basketball team made an inauspicious debut on Dec. 6, 1974, losing to highly ranked Indiana at the Big Ten Tournament in Iowa City.
"That first game sort of said it all," Douglas remembered. "At halftime, the score was 34-2 and we ended up losing 72-16. Of course, our girls were very discouraged afterwards. I think my pep talk was something like 'Hang in there.'"
Emotions swung dramatically at the end of its second game of the day, bouncing back to beat Wisconsin, 57-56, on a last-second shot from midcourt by Susan Limestall. Illinois wound up its first season with 10 victories in 21 games and Douglas was invited back to coach a second season, this time with a salary raise up to $2,000.
"I enjoyed my coaching experience at Illinois," Douglas said. "My three daughters loved it. They came to the games and ran around Huff Gym handing out the little programs that were made. In those days, a crowd of 100 was a lot."
Jeanne Hultzen's swimming and diving program launched its inaugural season on Dec. 7, beating Indiana State and Eastern Illinois at its invitational meet at IMPE. Three dual meets later in the season against Illinois State, Central Michigan and Indiana State also resulted in Illini victories. Four Illini swimmers—Sue Dudley, Mary Paterson, Amy Young and Marsha Kerr—were all invited to participate at the national championships, but Paterson (in the 50-yard butterfly) was the only Illini who advanced to the finals.
Betty Anderson in Illinois' 52-48 win over Purdue during the 1974-75 season.
Anderson led the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game that year.
Though results are incomplete for Illinois' initial gymnastics season, records do show that the Illini were undefeated in three dual meets. Illinois placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships behind Michigan State, Indiana and Ohio State. Coach Kim Musgrave resigned her post at the end of the year to return to her home in New Jersey.
Illinois' women's track and field team was coached by Jerry Mayhew, a graduate research assistant in UI's physical fitness lab. At UI's Armory on Apr. 5, 14 Illini freshmen saw their very first action at an eight-team meet. Paced by jumping and sprinting star Bev Washington, Illinois placed third, just behind Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois. Individually, Washington's debut was a smashing success, winning the long jump and high jump competition and finishing just a half-second behind the winning time in the 220-yard dash. At the end of the season, Washington became a national qualifier.
In May of 1975, the Urbana Golf and Country Club served as the site of the first University of Illinois Women's Intercollegiate Sports Banquet. It was sponsored by the Champaign-Urbana Altrusa Club, a professional women's organization. Athletic Director Coleman, the evening's primary speaker, praised the first-year athletes.
"If you think it was easy in getting the women's program started, I can tell you that we had our share of difficulties," Coleman said. "But the first year is behind us and we're anticipating a great future. You're in the Athletic Association because we want you there and that's not going to change. We're looking forward to many, many more years of a successful relationship. Your potential is unlimited as you are only in the pioneering stages of development."
Women's Athletics 1974-75 Letter Winners
BASKETBALL: Jae Allen, Betty Anderson, Jan Carlson, Marijo Dluzak, Susan Limestall, Barb Nelson, Linda Roberts, Susan Shade, Meg Stevenson and Dana Umbach.
GOLF: Gail Hannam, Janice Kimpel, Rhonda Leech and Diane Miller.
GYMNASTICS: Teresa Greathouse, Randy Kalal, Debbie Robinson, Pam Rosenwinkel, Maria Salinas, Karen Smith, Cathy Tex, Lee Travis and Cindy Weber.
SWIMMING: Luanne Blenke, Susan Dudley, Maria Feldman, Debbie Guinn, Sue Holquist, Marshall Kerr, Mary Paterson and Amy Yount.
TENNIS: Barb Davis, Jean Harris, Kathy Kole, Colleen McNamara, Maggie Pratt, Tina Salmone, Nancy Wentink and Kathy Wujek.
TRACK & FIELD: Susan Allen, Jane Bodi, Nessa Calabrese, Mary Dimit, Donna Filips, Janet Smith, Bev Washington, Nancy Wentink, Nancy Wertman and Mary Ellen Wilson.
VOLLEYBALL: Sue Bochte, Dale Bukenas, Nessa Calabrese, Dorothy Carver, Marie Dluzak, Kim Helfrich, Carla Holtz, Nancy King, Linn Lourcey, Mark Livingston, Joan McArthur and Peggy Moeck.
FLASH FORWARD
During that initial season as the head coach of the Fighting Illini women's basketball program in 1974-75, Steve Douglas recalls enlisting the help of his three daughters to pass out programs to the hundred or so fans who attended games at either Assembly Hall or Huff Gymnasium. Steve, pictured recently, with his now-grown daughters (left to right) Lauren, Kate, and Liz.
