University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Christopher Mitchell
Gophers Celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports
2/5/2020 2:44:00 PM | Athletics
University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day, February 5 in a variety of events, both on and off campus this week.
The athletics department welcomed guests to Athlete's Village for its Jean K Freeman annual breakfast, followed by a program celebrating 48 years of Title IX and 34 of National Girls & Women in Sports Day. Speaking to the group this morning were special guests Jane Sage Cowles, Deborah Olson, Ruth Christianson and Lynnette Sjoquist.
Later that day, student-athletes, athletic administration, alums and supporters took part in the 34th Annual Minnesota Girls and Women in Sports Day event at the Minnesota History Center. The following were honored for their contributions in sports:
Minnesota Legacy Award - Gabe Grunewald (former University of Minnesota track athlete)
Minnesota Legacy Award - Dr. Belmar Gunderson (former University of Minnesota women's athletic director)
Kwame McDonald Media Award - Lea B. Olsen (former University of Minnesota women's basketball athlete)
Special Merit Award - Justice Margaret Chutich (former University of Minnesota tennis athlete)
Minnesota Milestone Award - Krissy Wendell (former University of Minnesota hockey athlete)
Last week, Gopher Athletics celebrated NGWSD at women's hockey (Jan. 31-Feb. 1), women's basketball (Feb. 2) and women's tennis (Feb. 1). There's still one more chance to celebrate at women's gymnastics on Feb. 8 when the Gophers take on Iowa at 6 p.m.
Home to 13 outstanding women's programs, the Gophers strive for nothing short of greatness both athletically and academically. Consider making a contribution today to continue supporting these incredible student-athletes!
Learn more on all recipients of Minnesota's special awards:
Minnesota Legacy Award - Gabe Grunewald - Gabe Grunewald's athletic accomplishments are as extensive as they are impressive. The challenges that came with each milestone are what made these accomplishments all the more impressive. While competing for the University of Minnesota in 2009, Grunewald found out that she had adenoid cystic carcinoma. The next day, she ran what was then her fastest 1500-meter time. After graduating in 2010 she became a professional runner, competing around the world while receiving aggressive chemotherapy treatments and operations to remove tumors. In 2012, Grunewald missed qualifying for the Olympics by a single spot. In 2013, she became the 11th - fastest female 1500 runner in American history after posting a time of 4 minutes, 1.48 seconds. In 2014, she won the US indoor national 3000-meter title. Grunewald never hid her surgery scars, and used her racing – and her diagnosis – to raise awareness for her rare disease. She started the Brave Like Gabe foundation to raise money for research and to help cancer survivors live active lives. Grunewald's husband, Justin has continued her work after her death in June 2019.
Minnesota Legacy Award - Dr. Belmar Gunderson - The University of Minnesota has long had successful athletic programs, and the university's success on the women's side is thanks to Dr. Belmar Gunderson. Dr. Gunderson came to the U of M in 1961 as an instructor in the Department of Physical Education for Women. When she arrived, the budget for sports clubs was $5.67. During her 17-year tenure, Minnesota initiated 10 women's varsity sports. The first year the U funded women's sports programs was 1971, and the budget was $5,000. In 1972-73, thanks to Dr. Gunderson, that budget increased to $10,000. Before she got to Minnesota, Dr. Gunderson was a top-ranked tennis player. She competed at Wimbledon four times, and played at the U.S. Nationals for 10 years, reaching a ranking as high as No. 11. She has been inducted into the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of Minnesota, ITA and USTA Northern Section hall of fames.
Kwame McDonald Media Award - Lea B. Olsen - As the popularity of the WNBA continues to rise, so does the need for female analysts and reporters to broadcast those games to fans around Minnesota, and around the country. In Minnesota, Lea B. Olsen has spent much of her career filling that need - a dream come true for the former Gopher. Olsen begins her 10th season as the Minnesota Lynx color analyst on Fox Sports North in 2019-20 and also works the sidelines for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Olsen has spent five seasons working on ESPN's WNBA broadcasts. Olsen also serves as the TV analyst for the MSHSL girls' high school basketball tournament, and the host for the MSHSL boys' high school basketball tournament. In her collegiate playing days, Olsen was a tri-captain for the Minnesota Gopher women's basketball program, and received the Patty Berg Award, the FastBreak award and Coaches award. In 2016, Olsen founded a nonprofit Rethink the Win - which helps ensure young athletes have a positive experience in sports.
Special Merit Award - Justice Margaret Chutich - an Associate Justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court – has spent a lifetime working as a champion of girls and women in sport. Justice Chutich played on the boys' high school tennis team at Anoka until a girls' state tournament was created, and she took second in the first-ever Minnesota State High School League girls' tennis tournament as a junior before winning it as a senior. She won a Big Ten singles title at the University of Minnesota, and helped the Gophers to three AIAW national tournament berths. After graduation, Justice Chutich served on the Advisory Council for Women's Athletics at the U of M, and she and her spouse donated funds to support female athletes at Minnesota's Student Athletic Center for Excellence. They also established a scholarship in women's sports to support full-time undergraduate female student-athletes.
Minnesota Milestone Award - Krissy Wendell - In 1994, Krissy Wendell became the fifth girl to play in the Little League Baseball World Series, and the first from Minnesota. Wendell was the first girl to start at catcher and went on to become the first female LLBWS graduate to earn a spot in the Little League Hall of Excellence. In 2000, she won Minnesota's Ms. Hockey award, and in 2004 she won the Patty Kazmier Award after an impressive career at the University of Minnesota. She was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in December 2019.
The athletics department welcomed guests to Athlete's Village for its Jean K Freeman annual breakfast, followed by a program celebrating 48 years of Title IX and 34 of National Girls & Women in Sports Day. Speaking to the group this morning were special guests Jane Sage Cowles, Deborah Olson, Ruth Christianson and Lynnette Sjoquist.
Later that day, student-athletes, athletic administration, alums and supporters took part in the 34th Annual Minnesota Girls and Women in Sports Day event at the Minnesota History Center. The following were honored for their contributions in sports:
Minnesota Legacy Award - Gabe Grunewald (former University of Minnesota track athlete)
Minnesota Legacy Award - Dr. Belmar Gunderson (former University of Minnesota women's athletic director)
Kwame McDonald Media Award - Lea B. Olsen (former University of Minnesota women's basketball athlete)
Special Merit Award - Justice Margaret Chutich (former University of Minnesota tennis athlete)
Minnesota Milestone Award - Krissy Wendell (former University of Minnesota hockey athlete)
Last week, Gopher Athletics celebrated NGWSD at women's hockey (Jan. 31-Feb. 1), women's basketball (Feb. 2) and women's tennis (Feb. 1). There's still one more chance to celebrate at women's gymnastics on Feb. 8 when the Gophers take on Iowa at 6 p.m.
Home to 13 outstanding women's programs, the Gophers strive for nothing short of greatness both athletically and academically. Consider making a contribution today to continue supporting these incredible student-athletes!
Learn more on all recipients of Minnesota's special awards:
Minnesota Legacy Award - Gabe Grunewald - Gabe Grunewald's athletic accomplishments are as extensive as they are impressive. The challenges that came with each milestone are what made these accomplishments all the more impressive. While competing for the University of Minnesota in 2009, Grunewald found out that she had adenoid cystic carcinoma. The next day, she ran what was then her fastest 1500-meter time. After graduating in 2010 she became a professional runner, competing around the world while receiving aggressive chemotherapy treatments and operations to remove tumors. In 2012, Grunewald missed qualifying for the Olympics by a single spot. In 2013, she became the 11th - fastest female 1500 runner in American history after posting a time of 4 minutes, 1.48 seconds. In 2014, she won the US indoor national 3000-meter title. Grunewald never hid her surgery scars, and used her racing – and her diagnosis – to raise awareness for her rare disease. She started the Brave Like Gabe foundation to raise money for research and to help cancer survivors live active lives. Grunewald's husband, Justin has continued her work after her death in June 2019.
Minnesota Legacy Award - Dr. Belmar Gunderson - The University of Minnesota has long had successful athletic programs, and the university's success on the women's side is thanks to Dr. Belmar Gunderson. Dr. Gunderson came to the U of M in 1961 as an instructor in the Department of Physical Education for Women. When she arrived, the budget for sports clubs was $5.67. During her 17-year tenure, Minnesota initiated 10 women's varsity sports. The first year the U funded women's sports programs was 1971, and the budget was $5,000. In 1972-73, thanks to Dr. Gunderson, that budget increased to $10,000. Before she got to Minnesota, Dr. Gunderson was a top-ranked tennis player. She competed at Wimbledon four times, and played at the U.S. Nationals for 10 years, reaching a ranking as high as No. 11. She has been inducted into the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of Minnesota, ITA and USTA Northern Section hall of fames.
Kwame McDonald Media Award - Lea B. Olsen - As the popularity of the WNBA continues to rise, so does the need for female analysts and reporters to broadcast those games to fans around Minnesota, and around the country. In Minnesota, Lea B. Olsen has spent much of her career filling that need - a dream come true for the former Gopher. Olsen begins her 10th season as the Minnesota Lynx color analyst on Fox Sports North in 2019-20 and also works the sidelines for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Olsen has spent five seasons working on ESPN's WNBA broadcasts. Olsen also serves as the TV analyst for the MSHSL girls' high school basketball tournament, and the host for the MSHSL boys' high school basketball tournament. In her collegiate playing days, Olsen was a tri-captain for the Minnesota Gopher women's basketball program, and received the Patty Berg Award, the FastBreak award and Coaches award. In 2016, Olsen founded a nonprofit Rethink the Win - which helps ensure young athletes have a positive experience in sports.
Special Merit Award - Justice Margaret Chutich - an Associate Justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court – has spent a lifetime working as a champion of girls and women in sport. Justice Chutich played on the boys' high school tennis team at Anoka until a girls' state tournament was created, and she took second in the first-ever Minnesota State High School League girls' tennis tournament as a junior before winning it as a senior. She won a Big Ten singles title at the University of Minnesota, and helped the Gophers to three AIAW national tournament berths. After graduation, Justice Chutich served on the Advisory Council for Women's Athletics at the U of M, and she and her spouse donated funds to support female athletes at Minnesota's Student Athletic Center for Excellence. They also established a scholarship in women's sports to support full-time undergraduate female student-athletes.
Minnesota Milestone Award - Krissy Wendell - In 1994, Krissy Wendell became the fifth girl to play in the Little League Baseball World Series, and the first from Minnesota. Wendell was the first girl to start at catcher and went on to become the first female LLBWS graduate to earn a spot in the Little League Hall of Excellence. In 2000, she won Minnesota's Ms. Hockey award, and in 2004 she won the Patty Kazmier Award after an impressive career at the University of Minnesota. She was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in December 2019.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Wednesday, February 04
Cub Plays of the Week
Wednesday, September 24
Cub Plays of the Week
Thursday, September 18
Cub Plays of the Year
Monday, July 14