University of Iowa President Sandy Boyd elevates Women’s Athletics to intercollegiate status.

Women receive funding for first ever uniforms, travel, meals, and release time for coaches who are instructors and graduate students in the women’s physical education department.

The per diem meal limit was $2 for an “evening meal” or $4 if out of town for all three meals. The total budget for women’s sports was $30,000.

Dr. Christine Grant is named Women’s Athletic Director.

Intercollegiate status programs include tennis, golf, volleyball, field hockey, fencing, basketball, softball, gymnastics, bowling, badminton, swimming, and track & field.

The Program Grows
183 athletes compete on 10 teams. Sport sponsorship includes: basketball, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field/cross country, and volleyball.

Dr. Christine Grant is elected President of AIAW.

In 1982 Iowa Women’s Athletics participates as a member of the NCAA for the first time.

The same year, Cross Country wins Iowa’s first Big Ten Championship, hosted by the University of Iowa.

During the 1980s, Field Hockey wins the Big Ten Tournament Title (1981), the regular season Big Ten Title six (6) times, appearing in eight (8) NCAA Championships, and advancing to five (5) Final Fours.

In 1986 Iowa Field Hockey is crowned the NCAA National Champions.

Basketball shares Big Ten regular season titles in 1986-87, 1988-89, 1989-90, and wins the outright Big Ten regular season title 1987-88.

In 1986 the Hawkeyes advanced to their first NCAA appearance. In 1987 and 1988 they advance beyond the NCAA Sweet Sixteen to the Elite Eight.

In 1988 Michelle Edwards is named the Champion Products and WBCA National Player of the Year.

The Hawkeyes round out the decade in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 1989.

Also in 1989, Volleyball advances to its first ever NCAA Tournament Championship appearance.

In 1990 Softball wins the regular season Big Ten Championship and repeats in 1997. They have six (6) NCAA Women’s Softball Tournament appearances in the 90s.

In 1992-93 Basketball shares the regular season Big Ten title, in 1991-92, 1995-96 and 1997-98 the Hawkeyes win regular season titles outright, and in 1997 wins the Big Ten Tournament title. During the 90s Basketball appears in eight (8) NCAA Championships including a trip to the Final Four in 1993.

During the 1990s Field Hockey makes eight (8) appearances in the NCAA Tournament advancing to the Final Four five (5) times. Additionally winning the Big Ten Regular season title six (6) times and the Big Ten Tournament Title in 1994.

The 2000s begin with a major change as Dr. Christine Grant retires as Women’s Athletics Director. Later that year, the men’s and women’s athletics departments merge.

The decade will see additions and improvements to the athletics facilities.

In 2002 the Iowa Soccer competition field is built and in 2006 an outdoor practice field is added.

The Gerdin Athletic Learning Center is built in 2003 to support the academic endeavors of all student athletes.

In the summer of 2006 the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex (HTRC) opens in support of tennis, field hockey, and soccer; adding support service areas, practice, and competition facilities.

The decade closes with the 2009 opening of the P. Sue Beckwith Boathouse. It is the first University of Iowa building named solely for a female benefactor and it is the first athletics operations building dedicated on behalf of a women’s sport program.

Beginning in 2010 the Hawkeye Basketball team appears in eight (8) NCAA Tournaments.

Ending the decade on a very high note, in 2019 the team captures the Big Ten Tournament title, advances to the Elite Eight, Megan Gustafson wins the Naismith Trophy, and Head Coach Lisa Bluder brings home the Naismith Coach of the Year award.

As part of their NCAA Tournament run, Iowa breaks the NCAA all-time attendance record for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament with a combined two-day total of 23,096.

In their fourth decade of excellence, which includes advancing to the NCAA Championship four (4) more times, Field Hockey earns another first: they win both the Big Ten regular season and Big Ten Tournament Championships in the same season.