NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference announced its plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX, with events and promotions slated throughout the 2022 calendar year. The Conference will kick off its celebration in conjunction with National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Feb. 2, 2022.
Title IX is part of the Education Amendments of 1972 and was signed into law June 23. It states, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
"Title IX was one of the most significant laws in the history of our country and has profoundly impacted the life journeys of countless women over the past 50 years, me included," said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. "Our championships are the perfect platform to recognize the proud history of women's sports in the BIG EAST and to reaffirm the role and incomparable value of college sports in developing women leaders of tomorrow."
The 50th anniversary of Title IX will be incorporated into all 12 BIG EAST Championships for women's sports, highlighting the impact of key figures and trailblazers in each sport. Championship involvement includes anniversary-specific branding, signage and apparel, along with a coordinated social media campaign.
The first events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX will be the BIG EAST Swimming & Diving Championships on Feb. 23-26 at Nassau Aquatic Center in East Meadow, N.Y., and the BIG EAST Indoor Track & Field Championships at Gately Track Facility in Chicago, Feb. 25-26.
The 2022 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep, March 4-7 at Mohegan Sun Arena, will be a focal point of the 50th anniversary celebration. Plans include a pregame reception, promotional content incorporated into video board elements and game scripts, halftime recognitions, apparel for student-athletes and fans, and in-arena signage commemorating the anniversary.
Championship recognitions continue with spring sports, beginning with the BIG EAST Tennis Championships (April 21-24 in Cayce, S.C.) and followed by Golf (April 20-23 in Pine Mountain, Ga.), Lacrosse (May 5 & 7 in Denver, Colo.), Outdoor Track & Field (May 13-14 in Storrs, Conn.) and Softball (May 12-14 in Rosemont, Ill.). The BIG EAST will ramp the celebrations back up in the fall of 2022, with the conference championships of Cross Country, Field Hockey, Women's Soccer and Volleyball.
Throughout the 11-month celebration, the BIG EAST will produce Title IX-themed video and social media content, highlighting the key female figures of the last 50 years. The Conference also produced a Title IX BIG EAST logo, which will be utilized at all 12 women's championships and throughout the regular season.
For more on the BIG EAST's plans to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Title IX, visit //BIGEAST.com/TitleIX
