Feb. 22, 2002
Stony Brook, N.Y. -
Stony Brook will host its annual Fleet Bank Girls and Women in Sports Celebration the first weekend of March as part of the 16th Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration, announced by Congress. This year's acitivities mark Stony Brook's 11th annual Celebration. This year's theme, "Celebrating 30 Years of Title IX," reflects the accomplishments and achievements of women in sports since the enactment of Title IX of the Education Ammendments on June 23, 1972. Stony Brook hosts two events to celebrate the day--the Fleet Bank Girls and Women in Sports Day Banquet and the Fleet Bank All-Sports Clinic.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day was established in 1987 as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women's sports. Hyman died of a heart attack in 1986 while competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan. Since that time, NGWSD has evolved into a day to acknowledge the past and recognize current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.
This year's events commemmorate the 30th anniversary of Title IX, which states that no one in the United States can be excluded from participation, denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. The majority of schools in this country, elementary through the university level, receive federal funds and are therefore subject to the rules of Title IX.
Since 1992, the FleetBoston Financial Foundation has served as a partner for Stony Brook's GWSD activities. The Foundation supports organizations and programs that promote economic opportunity, public education, youth services and arts and culture. Fleet's contributions make it possible for Stony Brook to produce measurable results in the community with its GWSD Celebration.
FLEET BANK GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS BANQUET
The banquet honors past and present female athletes at Stony Brook University. Stony Brook athletic alumnae, current student-athletes, coaches and athletics personnel are expected to attend the banquet, which kicks off Fleet Bank's GWSD Celebration this year.
In addition to a message by this year's featured speaker, Donna Lopiano, a Stony Brook athletics alumna and a current Seawolves student-athlete will speak. In addition, head women's soccer coach Sue Ryan will address the audience. A video featuring sports highlights and interviews with coaches of Stony Brook's women's sports will also be shown.
Lopiano currently serves as the Executive Director of the Women's Sports Foundation. According to The Sporting News, Lopiano is listed as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in Sports." She received her bachelor's degree from Southern Connecticut State University and her master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California. She has been a college coach of men's and women's volleyball, and women's basketball, and softball.
As an athlete, she participated in 26 national championships in four sports and was a nine-time All-American at four different positions in softball, a sport in which she played on six national championship teams. She is a member of the National Sports Hall of Fame, the National Softball Hall of Fame and the Texas Women's Hall of Fame among others.
Dr. Lopiano previously served as the University of Texas Director of Women's Athletics (17 years), and the President of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. She is currently a member of the United States Olympic Committees Executive Board.
The banquet takes place at 6:30 p.m., Friday, March 1, at Port Jefferson Country Club.
FLEET BANK ALL-SPORTS CLINIC
The Seawolves' all-sports clinic takes place Saturday, March 2, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The clinic takes place prior to th e Stony Brook women's basketball game against Vermont at 1 p.m., which participants will be able to attend. Children ages 6-11 are invited to participate in the clinic, while Stony Brook student-athletes will run the clinic. Participants must be pre-registered to attend the clinic (for more information, contact head women's lacrosse coach Danie Caro by e-mail at dcaro@notes.cc.sunysb.edu). Participants will be able to visit several different stations, including volleyball, soccer, basketball and softball.
