2008

Dr. Donnis Thompson

Dr. Donnis Thompson served as the Women’s Athletics Director for the University of Hawaii at Manoa from 1972-1981, pioneering the commencement and tremendous growth of women’s intercollegiate athletics in Hawaii.
As a part-time employee and a professor, Thompson implemented her “vision of excellence,” and the program began with two sports, one scholarship and a budget of $5,000. Leveraging the 1976 Title IX mandate, Thompson quickly and effectively sought and received an additional $60,000 from Hawaii Legislation, permitting an increased sponsorship of seven sports for female student athletes. Also, in 1976, Thompson spearheaded a committee that brought in women’s volleyball powerhouse UCLA and sold out Hawaii’s Neil Blaisdell Center with a crowd of 7,813.

Working along the mantra of “anything worth having is worth having now,” women’s athletics at the University of Hawaii erupted and established its place on the national scene. Thompson led the Wahine Athletic Department at the University of Hawaii until 1981, when she took a leave of absence to lead the Hawaii Department of Education as the state’s first female Superintendent of Education. In only three years as the head of Hawaii state education, Dr. Thompson authored a 10-year improvement plan for the state, titled “A Vision of Excellence”; implemented early provisions for school success for kindergartners who exceeded national standards; obtained a federal grant for a bilingual multicultural center for Hawaiian and American-Samoan students; and teamed up Hawaiian hotels with local high schools and established relationships with IBM to promote computer literacy and curriculum development.

Dr. Leanne Grotke-Andreas

Dr. Leanne Grotke-Andreasserved as Director of Athletics for Women and then as Associate Director of Athletics at California State University Fullerton when the men’s and women’s programs were combined. She served in the aforementioned positions from 1978-1991.

While at California State University Fullerton, Grotke-Andreas served on the Executive Administrative Committee of Athletics Department; supervised coaches of men’s and women’s athletic teams; administered Athletics Department championship competitions, fund raisers and special events; coordinated the hiring of all Athletics Department personnel; administered the athletics grant-in-aid program for all teams; and represented the Athletics Department in the Big West Conference and the NCAA.

Dr. Tina Sloan Green

Dr. Tina Sloan Green is Co-founder and President of the Black Women in Sport Foundation. She is Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at Temple University. During her 32 years at Temple University, she was co-principal investigator of Sisters in Sports Science, a National Science Foundation funded program. She was also director of the Temple University National Youth Sports Program.

The first African-American head coach in the history of women's intercollegiate lacrosse, Sloan Green was head coach of the Temple University Women's Lacrosse Team from 1973-1992. During that time she amassed a 207-62-4 career coaching record with a .758 career winning percentage. She led the Owls to three National Championships and 11consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances.

Sloan Green has co-authored two books, Black Women in Sport and Modern Women's Lacrosse, and has written chapters in the books Racism in College Athletics and Basketball Jones. She was inducted into the Halls of Fame at Temple and West Chester Universities, as well as the Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Women's Sport Foundation Hall of Fame. Sloan Green competed on the U.S.A Women's Lacrosse Team (1969-1973) and the U.S. Women's Field Hockey Squad (1966).

J. Elaine Hieber

J. Elaine Hieber was named Iowa State University’s Assistant Director of Athletics in 1979 and then promoted to Associate Athletics Director in 1990. She served as Interim Athletic Director from August-October 2000. As Senior Associate Athletic Director, her responsibilities include internal operations, overseeing student services, compliance, media relations and human resources. As Senior Woman Administrator, Hieber represented the department at various Big 12 conferences and NCAA meetings.

Hieber was honored by Iowa State University with the 2001 Presidential Service Award that recognizes a faculty or staff member who performs exemplary service that benefits Iowa State. Hieber also received the 1992 Carrie Chapman Catt Award for Gender Equity. Hieber chaired the University Committee on Women from 1989-91. She was a member of the Iowa State University Professional and Scientific Council from 1982-87, serving as president during the 1986-87 academic year; and she received the Iowa State University Professional and Scientific Excellence Award in 1990.

Hieber served as chairperson of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee for eight years, was a member of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee for six years and served on the NCAA Basketball Marketing Committee. Hieber has been selected as a peer reviewer for NCAA Division I certification and was a recipient of the Governor’s Volunteer Award for a regents institution in 1994. In 2001, NACWAA also honored Hieber as the recipient of the Division I-A Administrator of the Year Award. In addition to the above mentioned awards, Hieber has served on the executive board of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and was a member of the Governor’s Council on Sport and Physical Fitness.