2000

Cornieth York “C.Y.” Russell

Cornieth York Russell served as Assistant Professor at Kentucky State University in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. She also held the positions of Coordinator of Women’s Athletics and Head Coach of women’s volleyball and basketball at Kentucky State University.

Russell was a member of the Executive Board of Golden Circle Life Insurance Company, the National Council of Negro Women, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the secretary of the Tennessee State University National Alumnae Association.

Russell’s contributions to women’s athletics were recognized with the Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Women’s Sports at Kentucky State University and the Governor’s award for Kentucky State University’s 200th Basketball Victory.

Dr. Karol Anne Kahrs

Dr. Karol Kahrs retired from the University of Illinois after serving as Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Associate Director of Athletics for Development.

Kahrs began her career at the University of Illinois in 1966 as an instructor in the College of Physical Education and coordinated the Women’s Extramural Sports Association before being named Assistant Athletics Director in 1974 and Associate Athletic Director in 1985. She served as Senior Woman Administrator until 1998 and as interim Director of Athletics in 1988.

Kahrs has been a member of numerous committees, including the NCAA Cost Containment Committee and the NACDA Executive Committee. She served on the Executive Board of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. Kahrs also served as basketball, volleyball and softball coach during her collegiate coaching career.

Kahrs’ honors include: National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrator, NACWAA District IV Administrator of the Year Award, University of Georgia’s Distinguished Alumni Award; and All-American Football Foundation’s Outstanding Senior Associate Athletic Director Award. In 2006, Kahrs was inducted into the NACDA Hall of Fame. Kahrs is a past President of NACWAA.

Dr. Ruth Vivian Acosta

Dr. Ruth Vivian Acosta, professor emerita at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, earned her BS and MS degrees from Brigham Young University and her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California.

Acosta has written extensively on the topics of Title IX and gender equity and has served as an invited presenter at international, national, regional and local conferences.

A respected researcher in the field, her well-known 33-year longitudinal national study on the status of women in intercollegiate sport, conducted with co-researcher Linda Carpenter, has been frequently cited in the media, law journals, Congress, legislative histories and in gender equity lawsuits.

Acosta is a past president of the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport and has also served on AAHPERD’s Board of Governors.

She is the recipient of many national awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Honor Award from the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators, the Billie Jean King Award from the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Rachel Bryant Award, the Honor Award and several Presidential Awards from NAGWS and the Margaret Paulding Award.

Acosta served in many capacities at Brooklyn College, including teacher, coach, athletics administrator, and deputy chairperson of the graduate program. Over her third of a century at Brooklyn College, Acosta coached basketball, volleyball, field hockey, softball and men’s and women’s badminton.

Acosta’s service to the broader community includes being a founding board member of A Very Special Place, Inc. which provides for the needs of developmentally disabled adults and having a continuing commitment to serve wherever needed by her church and her community.

Dr. Virginia (Ginny) Hunt

Dr. Virginia Hunt, Associate Professor of Physical Education and Adult and Higher Education, served as Director of Women’s Athletics at Montana State University; Associate Athletics Director for Women at the University of Michigan; and Women’s Athletics Director of the College of Wooster.

Along with her administrative duties, Hunt coached field hockey and volleyball, and was an active official in both sports. She also served as Secretary and Chair of the Affiliated Board of Officials. Additionally, Hunt served on the Eligibility Committee of the United State Olympic Committee, and was chair of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Ethics Eligibility Committee.

Hunt was active in the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports and was on their Board of Directors. Hunt was instrumental in forming the Mountain West Athletic Conference and active in the Women’s Committee of the Big Sky Conference. She also was president of the AIAW.

Kitty Rogers Baird

Kitty Baird was Associate Director of Athletics and Professor of Physical Education at Centre College. Baird joined the college in 1959 and was instrumental in establishing varsity sports for women. She organized and/or coached teams in women's basketball, field hockey, tennis, softball and volleyball.

Along with her teaching and coaching duties, Baird has served the college as intramural director, fitness consultant and wellness instructor.

Beyond the Centre campus, Baird also has promoted women's sports throughout Kentucky. She was president of the Kentucky Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and has received that organization's Distinguished Service Award, as well as the W. Walter H. Mustaine Award, which is KAHPERD's highest honor.

Baird was a founder of the Kentucky Women's Intercollegiate Conference (KWIC) and the second president of that organization. She has worked with the NCAA as a member of the Basketball Rules Committee and the Division III Membership Committee. In 1993, her service to women's sports was honored with the Kentucky Pathfinder Award. From the National Association for Women Athletic Administrators, she received the Outstanding Administrator of the Year Award for the southern district.

Baird received her bachelor's degree from Radford College, her master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her degree as an education specialist from Eastern Kentucky University. She also studied as a postgraduate at the University of Kentucky.

Phyllis L. Howlett

Phyllis L. Howlett served as former Assistant Director of Athletics at the University of Kansas and as the Assistant Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference.

Howlett acted as a member of several NCAA committees, including Football Television Committee, Golf Committee, Committee of Women’s Athletics, Executive Committee, Special Committee on Women’s Basketball Television, and NCAA Executive Committee.

Howlett also served as co-chair, NCAA Task Force on Gender Equity; chair, Special Advisory Committee for Women’s Corporate Marketing; chair, Division I Championships Committee; Secretary-Treasurer, NCAA Board member and secretary, Council of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators; Executive Committee, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

Howlett’s dedication to sport did not go unnoticed as she was awarded NACDA Administrative Excellence Award, Honda Award of Merit, and Alumni Achievement Award, Simpson College.