Equity in the sports world has come a long way. Yet, there was still a time where women faced problems with inclusivity and pursuing their athletic dreams. With the help of a prominent piece of legislation, women in sports have similar opportunities as their male counterparts. This pivotal piece of legislation is Title IX.
Title IX origins
Congress enacted Title IX in 1972. Its original goal was to address gender-based discrimination between women and men in sports. As it has evolved, it has had a huge impact on creating equal conditions in sport for women.
Title IX 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.”
According to an article from the Women’s Sports Foundation, athletic programs at all levels are also considered “educational” programs. Thus, Title IX gives women in sport “the right to equal opportunity in said sports that receive educational federal funds.” Non-compliance to Title IX results in funding withdrawal from said university or school.
Additionally, Title IX also compiles women’s right to participation, scholarship and access to athletic program components. Athletic program components consist of equipment, supplies, scheduling of games and practices, travel, coaching, access to locker rooms and access to training. Fulfilling these demands for women athletes ensures compliance with Title IX statutes.
Women in sports legacy at NCC
Cortney Matuszak, NCC’s Title IX Coordinator, offered valuable insight into the background of Title IX at NCC.
“Before Title IX, we only had two women’s athletic teams on campus. Today, we proudly offer a full range of women’s sports, with expanded rosters, competitive schedules, and nationally recognized programs. We’ve also made substantial progress in ensuring equity in areas like funding, coaching, recruitment, and facilities” Said Matuszak.
The women’s tennis program is the first sports program introduced to the college in 1921. Since then, ten women’s programs have been added to support female athletic endeavors. The college celebrated 100 years of women in sport back in 2021. A century of commitment to women in sport highlights the colleges continuation of women’s sport excellence.
NCC’s female programs hold four team national titles as well as 20 individual championship titles. This excellence is sure to continue throughout the years for the lady Cardinals.
NCC also is home to The Women’s Sport Legacy: Next Chapter Campaign which support female student athletes on campus, as well as a supportive Title IX staff, coaches and trainers. This campaign addresses “capital and programming needs to women’s sports, along with an endowment fund to provide female student-athletes with assistance in gaining leadership development.”
“It’s not just about compliance—it’s about creating an environment where female athletes can truly thrive” Said Matuszak.
NCC’s new women in sports club
Created in the Fall of 2025, the NCC Women in Sports Club has already made a great impact on campus for women student athletes. Founded by women’s lacrosse senior, Abby MacKenzie, ’25, the club aims to uplift and support women’s sports on campus.
“What better way to celebrate us than to create a club that forms an inclusive community among female athletes! Building each other up and celebrating each other will help to achieve our dominance on campus,” said MacKenzie.
As President of the Women in Sport Club, MacKenzie hopes that this club will “help foster an inclusive community among female athletes on campus”, as well as foster connection between different sports teams. She comments that forming a strong community will allow women student athletes to stand up for themselves and advocate for equity in the athletic department.
The Women in Sport Club has hosted a multitude of events. Their most recent event involves a collaboration with NCC Nutrition, where information is shared on how to properly fuel as female student-athletes. MacKenzie commented that a big focus of the club through the past year was collaboration with other clubs on campus. The goal of this is to create events that appeal to a multitude of students on campus. Some other events the club has hosted are a recovery talk hosted by Impact PT and a panel with SportxNC. The panel involved female professionals in the sports industry.
Female student athlete empowerment
With the implementation of Title IX, college campuses around the world have been able to support their female student athletes. This support and encouragement creates increased participation in women’s sports, fosters a cultural shift in the sporting landscape and gives women additional routes for professional development.
Title IX requires schools to provide equal opportunities for both women and men. Thus, schools have to offer comparable sports programs, facilities and funding for female athletes. Also, it requires more funding to be allocated to women’s sports, including an increase in the number of scholarships available. With better accommodations and more scholarships available, participation in women’s sports has grown.
Surge of women’s sports
Not to mention, with the rise of women’s sports, there has been a great shift in the cultural landscape of women’s sports. We see this evident in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Championship game, where Iowa’s Caitlin Clark faced off against Dawn Staley’s powerhouse of South Carolina. NCAA’s statistics show that viewership for this game peaked at 24 million viewers, averaging 18.7 million viewers. This was the first time the NCAA Women’s Championship game drew more viewers than the men. This additionally represents a 90% increase in viewers from the 2023 NCAA Women’s Championship game and a 228% increase in viewers from the 2022 NCAA Women’s Championship game.
As we can see, the notion that women are less entertaining, skilled or capable when it comes to sport is surely changing. As more women excel and create impressionable effects on women athletes, perceptions about women in sports are shifting and paving the way for the future of female athletes.
Future benefits
Not only does Title IX support female athletes while in school, but it also creates new pathways for female athletes in the future. Due to the increase in participation and coverage of women’s sports more job positions in different women’s leagues and competitions have become available. Some examples include coaching, sport analysis, commentating, sport management, journalism or broadcasting. Title IX indirectly provides female athletes with a space to pursue their careers beyond sport.
Matuszak alludes to this as well, stating, “As a Title IX Coordinator, I see it as a vital part of our mission to not only support athletic equity but to help our student-athletes grow into strong, capable leaders in every area of their lives.”
Ongoing challenges
Even though Title IX has made remarkable advancements, there are still some disparities that females face in sport. These include things like unequal media coverage, pay gaps and lack of women in leadership roles of organizations.
Perhaps the most prominent controversy rising in the news today is the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. According to American Cornerstone Institute, the Biden administration introduced two changes to Title IX. The changes involve “expanding the definition of sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity” as well as “inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports.”
In a tense political landscape, Donald Trump moved to sign Executive Order 14201. This order prohibits transgender women from participating in women’s sports. Failure to comply with this order results in removal of federal funding. The conversation around transgender women in sports remains fluid, with ongoing legal challenges and debates.
Title IX has been pivotal in re-shaping women’s sports and creating opportunities that were once unheard of. Yet, some challenges do still remain. Nevertheless, Title IX still serves as a valuable tool in the ongoing fight for gender equity in sport.
