Over the course of the final 50 weekdays of 2022, we will continue our celebration of #TitleIX50 by honoring 50 women who have blazed the trails and become legends in athletics at The University of Alabama.
Dr. Hanna Gillion
Dr. Hanna Gillion was instrumental during the beginning stages of an organized women's intercollegiate athletics effort at UA, serving as both coach and administrator. In 1970-71, she recruited members of the student body to field volleyball and tennis teams.
Lillie Leatherwood
A 10x All-American and 3x NCAA champion in the 400m, Lillie Leatherwood became Alabama's first female Olympic gold medalist as a member of Team USA's 4×400m relay in 1984. Her school record in the 400m has stood since 1987. Watch more about Lillie Leatherwood
Sarah Patterson
During her legendary 36-year career, Sarah Patterson became the first coach in SEC history, regardless of sport, to win NCAA championships in four different decades, leading Alabama to six overall. The Tide also won eight SEC titles, an NCAA-record 29 regionals and more than 1,000 meets under Patterson.
Kelly Kretschman
Kelly Kretschman was the first four-time NFCA All-American in program history. The Olympic gold medalist holds numerous records at UA including hits, doubles and runs and led Alabama to its first Women's College World Series appearance in 2000.
Krystal Rivers
Four-time AVCA All-American Krystal Rivers became the first volleyball player in the SEC to earn both Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors in the same season. She set the school record in career kills (2,148) and points (2,506) and led the team in scoring all four years.
Roberta Alison
Roberta Alison lettered for three seasons at Alabama on the men's tennis team. Men's coach Jason Morton discovered the Alexander City, Ala. native and enticed her to play on the varsity men's team at the Capstone because there was no women's team at the time. She won the women's collegiate singles championship titles in both 1962 and 1963 and teamed with Missouri's Justina Bricka for the 1963 women's collegiate doubles national title.
Niesa Johnson
Niesa Johnson is a two-time All-American, three-time All-SEC selection and Naismith Award finalist. She helped Alabama reach the 1994 NCAA Final Four and stands at No. 2 on the Tide’s all-time scoring list with 2,134 career points. In 2006, Johnson was named to the SEC's 25th anniversary team.
Lane Bassham
Eight-time All-American Lane Bassham became the first diver for Alabama to win a national championship when she captured the 3-meter title in 2004 as a senior. She was named the 2004 SEC Diver of the Year after winning both the 1- and 3-meter league titles.
Martha Jones
Martha Jones competed for Alabama in 1975, guiding the team to the AIAW Nationals and a seventh-place finish. Jones garnered All-America honors from the association that season after finishing third individually. Read The 50-Year Shift with Martha Jones Lang
Dee Foster
Dee Foster is a 17-time All-American, four-time national champion and nine-time regional champion. As a senior, she set an NCAA record with perfect 10s in five straight meets. She was SEC Athlete of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year and NCAA Gymnast of the Year.
Celia Jimenez Delgado
Celia Jimenez Delgado became the first player in program history to be drafted to the National Women's Soccer League. In 2015, she led the team in five categories and as a senior, helped return the Tide to the NCAA tournament.
Stacy Potter
Stacy Potter, UA's "Swimmer of the 1990s," finished her Crimson Tide career as a 22-time All-American. She broke the SEC record in the 100 butterfly and was the 1995 NCAA Runner-up in the 100 butterfly. She led UA to back-to-back top-10 finishes in 1993 and 1994 and a top-15 finish in 1995.
Stephanie VanBrakle
A threat in the circle and in the batter's box, Stephanie VanBrakle was the first two-way All-American to suit up for the Crimson Tide. Her power arm combined with a power bat helped lead Alabama to its first ever Southeastern Conference title in 2006.
Jean Mills
Jean Mills served as head coach of the women's tennis team from 1974-78 after graduating from The University of Alabama. An accomplished tennis player, Mills was ranked third nationally at age 14 and won Alabama state titles in 1971, 72 and 74.
Yolanda Watkins
Four-time All-SEC selection Yolanda Watkins helped lead UA to the 1994 NCAA Final Four. She scored 1,778 career points, fourth most in program history, and set the school record for career rebounds with 1,096, which still stands today.
Penney Hauschild
Penney Hauschild was the first UA gymnastics NCAA Champion and first 4x NCAA Champion at UA, male or female. She earned 10 All-America honorsand won five regional championships. Hauschild is a two-time Honda Award winner and the 1985 SEC Athlete of the Year.
Beth Mallory
Beth Mallory was the 2005 NCAA discus champion, a four-time All-American in the event and a two-time All-American in the hammer throw. A three-time SEC discus champion, she was also the 2005 SEC champion in the shot put and hammer throw, earning her the Commissioner's Trophy as the high scorer at the conference championship and was voted SEC Field Athlete of the Year. Mallory, too, was a standout in the classroom earning 2007 NCAA Top VIII and CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
Vicky Stanley
One of Alabama's first individual national champions in any sport, Vicky Stanley won the 1976 AIAW title in the 50 freestyle. Her winning effort set an AIAW record in that event.
Andreé Pickens
Andreé Pickens was part of the 2002 NCAA Championship team and won individual national championships on balance beam (1999)and uneven bars (2002). She is a 14-time All-American and won the NCAA Top VIII and Honda Awards.
Jorja Macrae
In 2019, Jorja Macrae became the first Crimson Tide rower to earn All-America recognition in the program's history. She rowed with Alabama's First Varsity 8+ and led the Tide to its first national ranking during the season.
Ann Marie Lawler
In 1974, Ann Marie Lawler became the first women's athletics director at The University of Alabama. During her tenure, she also served as head coach of the women's golf team (1974-76) and assisted with the transition of women's sports into the SEC.
Haylie McCleney
Four-time All-American Haylie McCleney finished her Alabama career as the program's leader in batting average, on base percentage, walks and triples. She was twice named Academic All-American of the Year for softball and an NCAA Top 10 honoree.
Disa Gisladottir
Two-time Olympian Disa Gisladottir owns the honor of being the first woman NCAA Champion at Alabama, winning the 1982 outdoor high jump title. She went on to capture both the indoor and outdoor high jump national championships a year later.
Libby Probst
Libby Probst is the program's all-team leader in goals (33), points (85) and shots on goal (94), and her 2005 marks for points (37), points per game (2.06), goals (15) and goals per game (0.83) remain tops in a single season. Probst was also named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for soccer in 2005.
Dominique Canty
Two-time All-American Dominique Canty is Alabama basketball's all-time leading scorer—male or female. The two-time Naismith Player of the Year finalist and four-time All-SEC selection averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Rhyan White
Rhyan White is the first UA woman to earn a spot on the United States Olympic Swim Team and first to win an event at the U.S. Olympic Trials, placing first in 2021 in the 200m backstroke. She is an Olympic medalist, World Champion, All-American, SEC Champion and was the 2021 SEC Swimmer of the Year and Commissioner's Trophy winner.
Eleanor Dudley
Eleanor Dudley of The University of Alabama bested 25 other golfers to win the first National Collegiate Golf Championship, which was played at the Ohio State University Golf Course in 1941.
Alexa Guarachi
All-American Alexa Guarachi holds the UA record for career wins in singles and doubles. She advanced to the NCAA tournament all four years with the Tide, reaching the semifinals in both singles and doubles in 2013. As a pro, she earned a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 11 in 2021 and advanced to her first Grand Slam final at the 2020 French Open.
Kim Jacob
Kim Jacob is one of the most decorated athletes in UA history. The 11-time All-American won the Honda Cup and was an NCAA Top Ten honoree and Academic All-American of the Year. She is an NCAA all-around champion and was part of two NCAA championship teams.
Stephanie Schleuder
Stephanie Schleuder served as head coach of both the volleyball (1974-81) and women's basketball teams (1974-77). She went on to win 702 matches in her volleyball career across four programs and was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2015.
Jackie Traina
Four-time All-American Jackie Traina guided UA to its first national championship in 2012. She started every game at the WCWS and was named the Most Outstanding Player after securing five wins and batting .400 in OKC.
Barbara Mack
All-American and Rhodes Scholar finalist Barbara Mack led UA to its first NCAA Championship appearance in 1983. She was one of the team's first All-Americans and, in 2008, became the first female to be honored with the Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award.
Cassandra Crumpton
Cassandra Crumpton led UA to its first NCAA Tournament bid in 1984 after advancing to the finals of the SEC Tournament where she earned MVP honors. After her professional career, she returned to the Capstone where she was an assistant coach from 1997-2004.
Julie Estin
Julie Estin was the first Alabama student to be honored as the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She is a six-time All-American, two-time SEC champion and five-time Regional champion.
Justine Bernier
Four-time All-SEC selection Justine Bernier finished her career with a school record 453 saves. She also holds the single-season record for saves (145) and recorded 21 career shutouts, tied for the program record.
Christine Jarvis
The first individual national champion in any sport in the history of women's athletics at UA, Christine Jarvis still accounts for the most individual national titles in Crimson Tide history, men or women, with five. She won the AIAW 100 and 200 breaststroke championships in 1976 and 1977 and the 50 breaststroke title in 1977.
Jenny Mainz
The 2013 ITA National Coach of the Year, Jenny Mainz has coached two NCAA Doubles Champions and the 2014 SEC Championship. She's led the program to over 300 wins, 17 NCAA Tournaments and produced 24 NCAA singles qualifiers and 15 NCAA doubles qualifiers.
Joy McCann
Joy McCann, who was hailed as "Montgomery's finest links competitor in a generation," became the youngest golfer to win the Alabama Women's State Championship in 1941. She went on to capture it again in 1947 and then won the Florida Amateur title in 1961.
Erin Heffner
Erin Heffner helped lay the foundation for one of the most successful eras in program history, leading the team to the SEC Western Division title. She was an AVCA All-American in 2003 and 2004, becoming the first two-time All-American in program history.
Quanesha Burks
Quanesha Burks is one of the most decorated student-athletes in program history, winning multiple NCAA and SEC titles in the long jump in addition to holding numerous school records. She also earned All-America honors in each of her four seasons.
Flora Molnar, Cora Dupre, Morgan Scott and Kalia Antoniou
In 2021, Flora Molnar, Cora Dupre, Morgan Scott and Kalia Antoniou became the first women's swimming relay team from Alabama to win an NCAA title, posting a school record time of 3:09.78 in the 400 freestyle relay.
Marie Robbins
Marie Robbins led gymnastics to an SEC and NCAA title in 1988 and another SEC title in 1990. In her 25 years as an administrator, the teams she oversaw won four NCAA team titles, 13 SEC championships as well as 23 NCAA individual or relay titles.
Shalonda Enis
Shalonda Enis' 20.5 point-per-game average is the best in program history. She was tabbed an All-American in both of her seasons with the Crimson Tide and went on to play five seasons in the WNBA with the Washington Mystics and Charlotte Sting.
Emma Talley
Emma Talley is one of the most decorated golfers in program history. She won the U.S. Amateur title in 2013 and two years later, was crowed 2015 NCAA individual champion. Later that year, she also claimed the Honda Award.
Brittany Rogers
Four-time All-American Brittany Rogers was known for her speed around the bases. She hit .400 in three different seasons and recorded over 300 hits, 200 runs and 100 stolen bases. Rogers holds the UA record for stolen bases with 198.
Judy Green
Judy Green is the longest tenured coach in the program's history, leading the Tide for 15 seasons and amassing 237 wins along the way. She guided UA to its first three NCAA tournament appearances in 2005-07 and won the SEC Western Division title twice.
Merel van Dongen
Merel van Dongen became the program's first SEC Freshman of the Year in 2012 after a breakout rookie season. During her career, she set records in every assist category. She has gone on to compete internationally in the Women's World Cup and Olympics.
Pauline Davis
Pauline Davis is a 19-time All-American and NCAA indoor champion in the 200 meters and NCAA outdoor champion in the 400 meters. Following her collegiate career, she won Olympic gold in 2000 for the Bahamas.
Erin Routliffe and Maya Jansen
Erin Routliffe and Maya Jansen won back-to-back NCAA doubles titles in 2014 and 2015, becoming the third doubles team in NCAA history to win back-to-back championships. Over their three seasons together, Routliffe and Jansen compiled a 57-8 record.
Ashley Miles
Ashley Miles won 20 individual titles throughout her career including four NCAA championships. The 12-time All-American won the 2006 Honda Cup and NCAA Central Region Gymnast of the Year honors that season. In 2020, she was recognized as an SEC Legend.
