Sep 4, 2013
Habitat For Humanity Photo Gallery
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa women’s golf team kicked off its 2013-14 season last week, away from the golf course. The Hawkeyes volunteered in the Habitat For Humanity Women’s Build, honoring Dr. Christine Grant.
“Helping out with the Habitat Women’s Build was such a great way for our team to kick off our year,” said third-year UI head coach Megan Menzel. “It felt good to give back to the community and I was thrilled for our team to meet Dr. Christine Grant and to be able to thank her for all she has done for women’s athletics at Iowa.
“It was exciting that we got to be a part of the process for the first walls to go up. We met some great people and I hope many others will be able to find the time to help out this fall with such a great organization and project.”
A pioneer in intercollegiate athletics in the United States, Grant became the first women’s athletics director at the University of Iowa in 1973. In her 27 years at the helm of a separate Women’s Athletic Department, Grant helped coaches develop highly competitive teams at the national level and at the conference level where they won 27 Big Ten Conference titles.
Grant has earned national acclaim for her dedication to gender equity in athletics. She has testified on Title IX and Gender Equity before several U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittees and has served as an expert witness in many Title IX lawsuits. She served as President of both the AIAW and the NACWAA. In 2007, Grant received the NCAA President’s Gerald R. Ford Award, which honors an individual who has provided significant leadership as an advocate for intercollegiate athletics on a continuous basis over the course of their career.
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“It was a great opportunity to have been a part of the Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build. Dr. Grant has done so much for women’s athletics at Iowa. My team and I are grateful to have had the chance to give back to the community in her honor.”
— junior Lauren English
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For the Hawkeyes, it was the perfect opportunity to engage in a meaningful way to give back, while honoring an individual who has paved the way for female student-athletes throughout the world.
“Habitat For Humanity is an amazing organization that impacts countless lives throughout the world,” said sophomore Amy Ihm. “When my team and I heard about the house being built in honor of Dr. Christine Grant, here in Iowa City, we jumped at the opportunity to help. Not only did we want to give back to the community, but we wanted to thank Dr. Grant for fighting for gender equity in athletics and allowing us the opportunity to be a part of University of Iowa Athletics.”
“It was a great opportunity to have been a part of the Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build,” said junior Lauren English. “Dr. Grant has done so much for women’s athletics at Iowa. My team and I are grateful to have had the chance to give back to the community in her honor.”
“Building with Habitat For Humanity in honor of Dr. Grant was an awesome way to start the year,” said sophomore Briana Midkiff. “It was great to meet and talk with Dr. Grant and hear about her story and successes. She is quite an inspiration.
“Our team had a great time coming together with women across Iowa City to volunteer for an outstanding cause and organization.”
The Hawkeyes open the season at the Chip-N-Club Invitational in Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 9-10.