IWU Celebrates National Women Sports Day

On Tuesday, Feb. 6, Illinois Wesleyan will celebrate the 21st annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day at the 7:30 p.m. women's basketball game against Millikin at the Shirk Center.

All local grade schools, junior high school and high school girls' sports teams are invited to the event along with all IWU women alumni in Illinois.

At halftime of the game, current and former Titan female student-athletes will be honored along with Barb Cothren, longtime Illinois Wesleyan coach, teacher and athletic administrator.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day

On February 7, 2007, thousands of sports educators, coaches, athletic directors, recreation directors, association members, sponsors, students, and parents across the country will show their support of the Day and of this year's theme, "Throw like a girl — Lead like a champion!"
NGWSD is celebrated in all 50 states with community-based events, award ceremonies, and activities honoring the achievements and encouraging participation of girls and women in sports. Registering your activity is a way to advertise and allows others in your community or state to become aware of upcoming events and enables them to participate. Please click here to submit your event. A description of all submitted events can be found under the events calendar. Whether you are a new participant or a veteran, your support of the Day will go a long way to increase visibility for female athletes and advance their struggle for equality in sports.
NGWSD began in 1987 as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women's sports. Hyman died of Marfan's Syndrome in 1986 while competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan. Since that time, NGWSD has evolved into a day to acknowledge the past and recognize current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation, and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.
NGWSD is jointly organized by the National Girls and Women in Sport Coalition. The Coalition combines the experience and resources of the six premiere girls- and women-serving organizations in the United States: Girl Scouts of the USA, Girls Incorporated, the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, National Women's Law Center, the Women's Sports Foundation, and the YWCA USA.
Collectively, these organizations have been in existence for over 427 years and have a membership reach of 5.5 million girls and women.

Barb Cothren

From the time she joined the Illinois Wesleyan faculty in 1979 until her retirement in 2001, Barb Cothren performed many roles in the athletic department -  as a successful coach of women's tennis, volleyball and softball; as a vauled instructor and head of the physical education department; and as an associate athletic director and senior women’s administrator.
In 11 seasons from 1988-98, Cothren's IWU women's tennis teams compiled a 115-40 dual meet record, won a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship in 1992, and produced 12 CCIW singles and doubles champions.
Cothren was IWU’s volleyball coach from 1979-83 and softball coach from 1980-88. Her volleyball teams compiled a 78-62-2 record and three of her squads qualified for the Illinois Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women state tournament, with her 1981 team finishing second.
A native of Peoria, Cothren earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Illinois State University, where she participated in basketball and softball. She was inducted into the ISU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981.
From 1961 to 1979 Cothren was a teacher and coach in the Tri-Valley school district and she garnered an impressive record as an official in a number of women's sports. She held the position of Illinois State Officiating Coordinator and served many years as head timer for the Illinois Girls State basketball tournament.