Florida State University Athletics announced today a year-long celebration of the 50th year of women’s intercollegiate athletics at FSU beginning in August 2018.
While women’s athletics has held a rich tradition in Tallahassee since the early 1900’s when Florida State was the Florida State College for Women, the 2018-19 season marks the 50th Anniversary of a continuous women’s intercollegiate program at FSU.
“A number of our key stakeholders including university administration, Seminole Boosters, the FSU varsity club, the FSU Hall of Fame and our staff in athletics have been working behind the scenes for some time to make this a fitting tribute to this milestone,” said FSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Stan Wilcox. “Our women’s programs have had an outstanding year and the potential for next year is just as bright, so it is particularly fitting that we will be recognizing the achievements of our teams, student-athletes and the coaches who helped build our sports to the nationally competitive level we are today.”
Since volleyball took the floor in 1968 as the first-ever women’s intercollegiate sport for the Seminoles, FSU has been a national leader in promoting and supporting women’s athletics.
Florida State has won seven national championships over the last 50 years. Softball earned back-to-back AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women the precursor to the NCAA) national titles in 1981-82 and captured the NCAA Title just three days ago. Golf won the AIAW national title in 1981, and track & field took the NCAA National Championship at the 1984 outdoor meet and 1985 indoors. Soccer took home the 2014 NCAA National Championship.
“This is an outstanding opportunity for us to celebrate each of our sports as well as to encourage our many, many supporters and fans to be involved with our programs,” said Vanessa Fuchs, Senior Associate Athletics Director and the Senior Woman Administrator at Florida State. “As a former FSU student-athlete myself, I know how much women’s athletics means to our university and our fans. Our hope is that they will join us in remembering and celebrating all that has been achieved over the last 50 years. We also hope that they will consider the opportunities they have to help us continue and grow what we have at FSU.”
Logos were released today that will appear throughout athletic facilities, in promotional materials and on the uniforms of FSU’s women’s teams during the upcoming season.
“We are building plans around each sport throughout the year with input from our current coaches and staff of what might be most meaningful for each,” added Wilcox. “We all look forward to being part of this historic season with the Seminoles.”
The year-long celebration will launch with the “Garnet And Golden Celebration” scheduled for September 2. All event dates and details will be posted at Seminoles.com/50th and on social media utilizing the hashtag #GarnetAndGolden.
