Early Women’s Athletics History at Cal
Women’s intercollegiate competition dates back to 1896 when Cal and Stanford met in the first collegiate women’s basketball game. “Play days” focused on fencing and field hockey in the early 1900s, with teams from most Bay Area colleges participating. Through the 1960s, as the first conference affiliates were being formed, the student-run Women’s Athletic Association generated intercollegiate competition. In November 1973, Barbara Hoepner was named part-time coordinator of the women’s sports program under the auspices of the Physical Education Department. In March 1976, then-Chancellor Albert Bowker made the decision to create the Department of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics.
Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics
“We’re on our way.”
That was the slogan adopted by Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics (WIA) as the Bears embarked on their first year as an officially recognized department on the Cal campus in 1976-77. WIA operated out of four rooms in a corner of Hearst Gymnasium, but the spirit of the coaches and staff in getting the fledgling department off the ground was contagious. Women’s teams in basketball, rowing, cross country, field hockey, gymnastics, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball, as well as coed teams in fencing and badminton, quickly established themselves as contenders on conference and regional levels.
Changes in the sports sponsored came during the mid-1980s, when fencing and badminton were dropped and soccer, which proved to be immediately successful on a national scale, was added. Tennis, swimming and softball established themselves as perennial top-10 teams, and individual honors of every description were earned by Golden Bear women.
With the advent of the Pac-10 and the NCAA championships in the 1980s, Cal continued its national prominence in women’s sports. Teams in golf, water polo and lacrosse were added in the 1990s, and beach volleyball was added in the 2000s. WIA merged with the men’s athletic department in 1992, and today, Cal Athletics sponsors 16 women’s sports.
Notable Leaders in the Establishment of Women’s Athletics at Cal
Albert Bowker – When Chancellor Albert Bowker established the Department of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics in March of 1976, he realized the best environment would be one where the focus could be on female student-athletes. His open-mindedness about the role of women in sports and support of the department in its early years was instrumental in the growth of the program. Without his vision at the onset, women’s sports at Cal would not have achieved their level of success. His loyalty to Cal women’s athletics extended beyond his retirement, as he continued to support the department financially after he left the university.
Robert Kerley – More than any other campus administrator, Robert Kerley helped WIA grow and thrive. As vice chancellor for administration, Kerley was directly responsible for the supervision of the department in its early years. His ability to generate support in the university community and his skill in mentoring the department staff was invaluable. Kerley supervised WIA until his retirement in 1982.
Dr. Luella Lilly – From her childhood days as an American-record holder in swimming, Lue Lilly seemed destined to play a pivotal role in the development of women’s sports. Her journey included varsity competition in six sports at Lewis & Clark College, a stint as director of women’s physical education and intramurals at Oregon State, collegiate coaching experience in six sports at four colleges, and athletic director roles at American River College and the University of Nevada. She came to Cal from Nevada in 1976 to become the first full-time director of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics.
Starting in 1976 with a budget of $250,000 for a 12-sport program, Lilly did a remarkable job building Cal into a national leader in women’s athletics. She used her skills in attracting talented coaches, juggling the budget, and garnering campus support to implement her vision of Cal as a model for academic and athletic excellence. Female student-athletes at Cal owe a debt of gratitude to Lilly for their opportunities to compete as Golden Bears.
Joan Parker – Only one person spans the continuum from participant and coach before women’s sports were officially recognized on the Cal campus through the establishment of WIA and the merger with the men’s program. Joan Parker competed in three sports – tennis, basketball and badminton as a Cal undergraduate, and coaches five teams – tennis, basketball, badminton, softball and volleyball – during her years on the UC Berkeley Physical Education faculty. Parker worked in almost every capacity in WIA and was named the National Fundraiser of the Year in 1991 for her efforts. A nationally recognized administrator who served on the executive board of the AIAW, Parker retired from Cal after 36 years of service.
Sport – First year of intercollegiate athletics competition
Basketball – 1973-74
Beach Volleyball – 2014
Crew – 1977
Cross Country – 1976-77
Field Hockey – 1976
Golf – 1995-96
Gymnastics – 1974
Lacrosse – 1999
Soccer – 1982
Softbal – 1972
Swimming & Diving – 1976-77
Tennis – 1976-77
Track & Field – 1972
Volleyball – 1975
Water Polo – 1996
Discontinued Sport – Year discontinued
Women’s fencing – 1976-82
Women’s badminton – 1976-82
