Archives West Finding Aid

The Women's Athletic Association (W.A.A.) was an organization intended to "extend participation in athletic activities to all college women, and to offer a wide range of other recreation activities to all." Members could compete in intramural sports such as baseball/softball, basketball, tennis, swimming, archery, hiking, and riflery throughout the school year. Participants earned points towards awards like a Bobcat Sweater or Blanket Award by participating in athletic events sponsored by the association.

The organization was started by Miss Eva Pack in 1922 as the College Girls Athletic Association (C.G.A). Miss Eva Pack was hired as the new Director of Women's Physical Education after the departure of Miss Maxwell. Prior to arriving as MSC, Miss Pack acted as the physical director for schools around Salt Lake City. The association's early offerings were in swimming, hiking, tennis, and riflery.

C.G.A changed its name to the W.A.A. sometime between 1923 and 1925, when it first appeared in the college Bulletin. In 1928 the W.A.A. joined the Women's Division of the National Amateur Athletic Federation and the Athletic Conference of American College Women and began participating in district and national conferences.

Any female student of Montana State College (later Montana State University) could participate in W.A.A. activities, and in 1929 the group organized an honorary athletic fraternity*, the Spartanians, whose aim was to promote women's athletics at Montana State College. Another elite group within the W.A.A. was the Dolphins synchronized swimming team (1948-1969). In 1932 the W.A.A. began to sponsor Play Days which involved hosting athletes from other Montana colleges for competitions in various sports.

In 1965 Ellen Kreighbaum became the department head in Health and Human Development and began the push to increase financial support for women's athletics. At the time, the W.A.A. had an annual budget of $500 (awarded by the Associated Students of Montana State University) and had access to the Romney Gym only one night each week. Kreighbaum campaigned for an additional $500 and established a permanent women's basketball program.

In 1972 the United States Congress passed Title IX which prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools that receive funding from the federal government. In 1974, women's athletics was moved out of the Physical Education Department, and under the Men's Athletic Director, Tom Parac. That year Cherry Spurlock was hired as the first Women's Athletic Director at MSU.

*the group referred to themselves as a fraternity even though their membership was female and otherwise might have been considered a sorority.