Celebrating Title IX at 50

As part of its celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which was signed into law on June 23, 1972, NIU Athletics recognizes 50 of its greatest athletes of the Title IX era. NIU has a rich tradition of women’s sports that includes individual and team national champions as well as numerous All-Americans and conference champions. Below is the complete group of 50 Huskie student-athletes who, along with their teammates, coaches and all of NIU’s pre-Title IX pioneers, have helped create a tremendous legacy of women’s sports at NIU.

The 2003 MAC Gymnast of the Year, Kristina Campos still owns four of the top five all-around scores in school history. She is the only NIU gymnast to qualify for NCAA Regionals four times as an individual and was named All-MAC three times.

Clare Choo became NIU's first women's national individual champion when she won the 1982 AIAW badminton singles title. Choo led NIU to its first-ever national AIAW team crown and second straight state title as a freshman.

Cindy Conner scored over 1,500 points for the NIU women's basketball team, Conner was the 1991 North Star Conference Newcomer of the year and was First Team All-NSC in leading NIU to the 1992 and 1993 NCAA Tournaments.

NIU softball's Christy Dalton, a two-time All-Region and three-time All-MAC pitcher, still holds the NIU record for career strikeouts and is second in wins (66) and in shutouts (26). Dalton was named the MAC Player of the Year in 1999.

Still the only Huskie to win the MAC all-around title, Darlene Davis was a two-time NCAA Regional qualifier and two-time All-MAC gymnast for the NIU women's gymnastics program. She set five NIU individual records, including all-around during a Hall of Fame career.

The first NIU gymnast to earn a postseason spot, Dawnita Doty competed in the AIAW Region Championships as a freshman and went on to earn all-MAC honors as a senior. Doty set school records on beam, floor and all-around during her Huskie career.

Lisa Foss is NIU women's basketball's all-time leading scorer with 2,500 career points. Foss led NIU to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1990 and was the 1991 North Star Conference Player of the Year.

A two-sport athlete in field hockey and softball, Lori Fuglestad set NIU records for career, single season and single match goals, leading the Huskies to a pair of unbeaten seasons. She also played in NCCA Selection and US Field Hockey Association Tournaments.

Lisa Gilfoy of NIU softball won All-Midwest honors four times and was All-North Star Conference in three seasons. She led NIU in doubles, home runs & RBI in 1990 and '91, was on three NSC championship teams and the 1988 Women's College World Series team.

Kayti Grable of NIU softball owns the Huskies' career records for RBI and home runs and ranks second in hits and on-base percentage. She was a three-time All-Region, two-time All-MAC first team selection and was MAC Freshman of the Year.

Swimmer Susan Henrichsen was a four-time MAC Champion who broke NIU school records in five breaststroke and individual medley events during her career. Twice named to the Illinois All-State team, she was NIU's 1983 Sportswoman of the Year.

A three-time All-MAC honoree in cross country, Kelsey Hildreth finished in the top-eight at the conference championship each year from 2014-16, including a runner-up finish 2015.

E.C. Hill led NIU women's basketball to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 1992-94. A two-time All-American, Hill was the 1994 Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year after averaging 22 points per game. She is one of just two players in NIU women's basketball history to have 100 steals in a season.

Tammy Hinchee is NIU women's basketball's all-time leading rebounder with 1,099 career boards and also holds NIU's career double-doubles record with 50. She's also NIU's fourth-leading scorer all-time with 1,921 points.

Kristin Hoffman was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and a 2011 AVCA All-American for the NIU volleyball program. Hoffman was MAC Setter of the Year in 2011 and a two-Time First Team All-MAC pick.

Cathy Holmes still ranks second all-time in hitting percentage and solo blocks for NIU volleyball and is third in total blocks. North Star Conference Player of the Year and AVCA All-Region in 1988, she was a two-time all-league player.

The fourth-leading point scorer in NIU women’s soccer history, Debbie Huston played in a school record 84 games during her time as a Huskie, was a two-time all-region performer and a three-time all-conference honoree.

Lauren Ingle set NIU women's golf records for season and career stroke average, lowest 36- and 54-hole tournament scores. She was the first Huskie to earn first team All-MAC honors and posted what was at the time NIU’s best finish at the MAC Championship (3rd in 2021).

The most decorated player in NIU women's golf history, Nicole Jeray was named Ram Golf, and Golfweek Magazine Player of the Year in 1991. She won eight titles as a Huskie and went on to a long career on the LPGA Tour.

NIU's only female three-time First Team All-American, Jill Justin still owns the NIU softball career records for hits, triples, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. A career .466 hitter, she still ranks fifth in NCAA history and led NIU to the 1988 Women's College World Series.

The Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year in both 1993 and 1994 for NIU women's tennis, Jenny Karges earned all-league honors in those seasons while leading the Huskies to a pair of conference titles.

Nikki Kozak helped lead NIU volleyball to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1993. She was the Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year after leading NIU with 404 kills, 409 digs, and 53 aces as NIU won 29 matches.

Kate McCullagh is NIU volleyball's career leader in kills with 1,936. In her senior season, McCullagh earned MAC Player of the Year after averaging 5.74 kills per set which put her fourth in the nation. She also became the first NIU volleyball player to earn All-America honors.

Sandy Menard is the only NIU women's gymnastics individual to compete in the NCAA Championships (1998) and was a member of the 1995 team that went to Regionals. All-MAC on bars, her 39.400 all-around score still ranks second all-time at NIU.

The NIU Track and Field record holder in the outdoor shot put and hammer throw, Ashley Morrow qualified for the 2007 NCAA Championships in the shot put and was a four-time NCAA regional qualifier in the event, winning the conference title in 2006.

Anne Mucci was the 23rd player in NCAA history to join the 40-goal, 40-assist club and finished with a school record 129 points. As a senior, Mucci was the MAC Player of the Year while earning All-America and Academic All-America honors.

A 2016 All-American and First Team Academic All-American for NIU Softball, Emily Naegele set five school records in three seasons for NIU, including the single season & career records for home runs and RBI. She was a two-time All-Region and three-time All-MAC player and received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

Carol Owens was NIU women's basketball's first two-time All-American, earning the honor in 1989 and 1990. She averaged 21.7 ppg and 9.2 rpg in leading NIU to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1990. Owens is one of three Huskies to score 2,000 career points.

A goalie who led NIU to a No. 19 ranking and Midwest Independent title while earning honorable mention All Midwest Region honors, Colleen Preston set Division I career records for saves & shutouts. As a senior, she allowed just 0.9 goals per match.

A 1997 All-American who led the Huskies in hitting in 1997 and 1998, Tammy Pytel was a two-time All-Region and three-time all-conference player. A member of the 1996 NCAA Regional team, her 74 hits in 1997 still rank second at NIU.

Stephanie Raymond became the first NIU women's basketball player selected in the WNBA Draft, taken 20th overall by the Chicago Sky in 2007. Raymond is seventh in NIU history with 1,719 points and second in career steals with 271.

Mackenzie Roddy is fourth all-time in kills in NIU volleyball history with 1,551. She was twice named First Team All-MAC (2013,2014). Roddy was an honorable mention AVCA All-American in 2014, as well as a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District pick.

A NCAA qualifier in both cross country and outdoor track and field, Hope Schmelzle earned All-America honors in the steeplechase at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships, won three MAC titles and holds the school record in the 800, 1500 and steeplechase.

Meagan Schoenrock was a four-time All-MAC selection for NIU volleyball from 2006-09. She is third all-time at NIU with 1,690 career kills. Schoenrock is one of five Huskies to ever have 500+ kills in a season with 507 in 2008.

Beth Schrader’s career totals: 68 wins, 334 strikeouts, a 0.98 ERA in 113 games for NIU softball. She went 24-6 on 1988 Women's College World Series squad and still holds the school record for wins and shutouts. Schrader was twice named All-Midwest and was a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American.

A member of the NIU softball 1988 Women's College World Series team as a freshman, Julie Sexton went on to lead the Huskies in hitting in 1990 and 1991, when she earned All-American & All-Midwest honors. She was also the North Star Conference Offensive MVP as a senior.

Shelby Snyder is NIU volleyball's all-time leader in assists with 6,052. She set the single-season record for assists twice in 1991 (1,589) and again in 1992 (1,600), a record that held for eight years.

Lisa Starosta was the first NIU women's basketball player to have over 1,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds. She was a three-time All-MAC honoree and graduated in 1985 as NIU's all-time leader in points (1,810) and rebounds (1,003).

An eight-time MAC Champion, Ashley Tutt qualified for the NCAA Championships in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track, earning 2021 indoor All-America honors in the 5,000 meters while helping the Huskies win the 2020 MAC Cross Country and 2021 Indoor Track and Field team titles.

Jennifer Van Alstyne set seven individual school records and five relay marks during career that included four All-MAC and Illinois AIAW All-State honors. She twice qualified for AIAW National Championships, becoming the first Huskie to reach that level.

A third team All-American in 1993, Niki Van Hooreweghe was a two-time All-Region choice with a career batting average of .301. She finished career ranked in top five in three statistical categories and was a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Mikayla Voigt set NIU women's basketball and MAC single-game records on Dec. 8, 2018 with 52 points and 11 threes against Western Illinois. She was a second Team All-MAC selection and Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2019.

The second all-time leading scorer in NIU women’s soccer history with 71 career points, Allison Wade Shepherd helped the Huskies to their first MAC title in 1997. She was a two-time all-conference honoree and the 1997 MAC Player of the Year.

A three-time All-MAC player, Brielle Ward recorded two of the lowest 54-hole scores in school history, broke school records for career (75.7) and single season (74.9) stroke average and led NIU women's golf in that stat for three straight years.

The first female All-American in NIU history, Janet Wentworth placed third and fourth in singles at the AIAW National Badminton Championships in 1980 and 1981, respectively. A three-time nationals participant, she led NIU to three Top 20 team finishes.

Lori Wetzel ranked as the top college golfer in Illinois in 1984 while leading NIU with a stroke average of 79.9 to rank in the NCAA Midwest Top 10 and No. 23 nationally. She finished her career with the NIU record for career stroke average (80.6).

An All-American both indoors and outdoors in the triple jump in 2018, Jehvania Whyte won five MAC triple jump titles, three indoors and two outdoors, while holding the school record in the event both indoors and outdoors.

A four-time all-conference player for NIU women's tennis, Anna Widen set NIU records for career singles (80) and combined (137) wins with 24 singles wins in 1998. She was an ITA and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Courtney Woods is NIU women's basketball's all-time leader in 3-pointers (323) and career games played (130). She's also the single-season 3-point record holder (105). A two-time First Team All-MAC selection, Woods is second all-time at NIU with 2,216 points.

The NIU women's tennis record-holder in single season and career singles wins and career doubles victories, Nelle Youel (2012-15) was the MAC Player of the Year in 2015 and was a three-time All-MAC selection.

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Celebrating Title IX at 50