GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota has been built on the history and traditions of those who first stepped foot on its grounds. Not only has the academic sector been impacted by those who came before, but so has the athletic program especially as it pertains to women in sports.
Even before Title IX was passed in 1972, women at North Dakota had set the groundwork for the women's athletic programs to succeed.
Title IX, which passed on June 23, 1972, just provided the programs a new path than the one it had been taking in years prior to its passage. The law, which continues to create opportunities today, requires that United States education programs that receive federal funding must provide equal opportunities for participation. This law included athletics in its context.
Prior to the passage of Title IX, women at UND had built teams as early as 1903 when Anna Veland started a recreational women's basketball team. As the years went by, more and more women joined in the athletic efforts and North Dakota.
As we celebrate fifty years since Title IX was passed, we want to take a journey through history and remember some of the names that have made an impact on North Dakota women's programs. As we take this journey down memory lane, we also want to remember any names not mentioned and their impact too.
Grace Osborne Rhonemus (1923-26)
Rhonemus a native of Emerado, N.D., is endured as one of the two greatest women athletes ever to attend and compete at UND. She is one of the first women to be inducted into the UND Hall of Fame along with Era Bell Thompson. She was a tremendous student-athlete participating in track, baseball, volleyball, basketball and riflery. In track Rhonemus was a consistent top point winner. She attended school from 1923-25, then taught all over N.D. before returning to receive her Bachelor of Arts in 1937. From 1944-56 she was Director of Physical Education for Women at UND where she served as an instructor from 1956 to the time she retired. She was a skilled and energetic teacher of dance and other recreation type activities during her UND career. She also produced recordings that were widely used and was published in many journals. Several honor awards were given to her, one from the Central District of the American Association of Health, and another from the Physical Education and Recreation in 1958 and several others in 1962.
Era Bell Thompson (1925-1931)
Thompson, an English major, who had been raised on a farm near Driscoll, N.D., enrolled in 1925 and was well-respected on campus until 1931. She joined Rhonemus as being one of the first females to be inducted into the UND Hall of Fame. She is said to be one of the greatest all-around women athletes UND has ever had. Her career spanned from 1925-31 in track, basketball, baseball, soccer and field hockey. In one track meet in 1929, she broke five North Dakota College records, and in the same meet she tied the American women's college record in the 60-yard dash. Aside from being a track star, she was a standout in basketball as forward, guard and running center. In baseball, she played first base and, in the outfield. In soccer, she was a fullback. She was a center in field hockey. Due to of all the sports she played, she was named Most Athletic Coed. Thompson received an Honorary Doctor of Human Letters Degree from UND in 1969, and she became a nationally known writer and editor of Chicago-based Ebony Magazine.
Pat Warcup (1965-1982)
Pat Warcup was the first women's basketball head coach. She is often credited with building the basketball program and setting the tone for when they ranked in the top of the NCAA Division II. She served in that role before taking on more responsibilities in 1968 -69 when she became the third Coordinator of Women's Athletics. Along with serving as the first women's basketball coach, Warcup became the first softball head coach in 1977.
Pat Mauch (1967-1985)
Pat Mauch served many roles during her years at the University of North Dakota. Her largest impact started in 1967 as she served as UND's rep in the Minn-Kota conference, which was the start of organization for women's athletics. Prior to this time, she was named the first Coordinator of Women's Athletics, which was not a full-time role at the time. Along with her administrative duties, Mauch coached golf. Under her direction, they started to play both spring and fall schedules.
Dr. Helen Smiley (1971-1985)
Dr. Helen Smiley is recognized for her 14-year tenure at the University of North Dakota. She was the first full-time Women's Athletics Coordinator. She was named Associate Athletic Director in 1982. She then was named the first acting female athletic director from June 1, 1984 until the new permanent athletic director was chosen. She also served as an assistant professor in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department until 1985. During her tenure, she worked with administrators across the country to build the A.I.A.W conference for women until the NCAA stepped in and created championships for female sports. In 2000, Smiley earned the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA)/Continental Airlines Athletic Director of the Year award. Throughout her tenure, Smiley helped guide the league and served on several committees for the NCAA, including the Mideast Advisory Committee from 1996-99, and NACDA. Dr. Smiley was honored by having the Summit League name an award after her. It is the Dr. Helen Smiley Women's All-Sports Award, which is annually presented to the school with the most combined points in all league-sponsored women's sports.
Jill (Keena) Cholewa (1973-1979)
At the time known as Jill Keena, she made her mark by helping form the first volleyball program at North Dakota. Along with her impact while at North Dakota, she has continued to stick to her roots as she advocated for giving back. A letter winner for UND's volleyball team in 1975 and 1976, she came to UND with no scholarship assistance and recalls holding down a job while playing sports and going to school full-time. Due to this, she has continued to stay connected to the athletic department and helped either financially or by speaking to student-athletes. She continues to exemplify her generous spirit by heading up the University of North Dakota National Athletic Women's Leadership Council. The committee's purpose is to build and maintain the strong tradition of excellence for UND women's athletic programs. It focuses on enhancing the annual women's athletics budget and improving communication, involvement and support of former UND women's student-athletes and supporters.
Margaret Peterson (1975-1986)
Margaret Peterson was a student-athlete and coach at the University of North Dakota. During 1975-76, she led the field hockey team leader boards with her performance. During her time as an athlete, she was a letter winner in field hockey, basketball and track. She is often recognized as being the first Sioux field hockey star. After her athletic career ended, she stayed at North Dakota and coached the field hockey team from 1977-86. She also coached women's track. She is recognized as a two-time Hall of Famer, both as a field hockey player, and then as the head coach of a field hockey team that qualified for the NCAA tournament. She was a recipient of the Grace Rhonemus Outstanding Athlete Award for her impact at North Dakota.
Pam Solseth-Fischer (1977-1980)
Solseth-Fischer lettered four times, 1977-78-79-80, in basketball at UND. As a senior in 1979-80, she became the first UND player to pass the 1,000-point mark, set a number of UND single season and career records and was selected to the All-Minn-Kota and All-Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Region 6 Teams in 1980. She was also selected as a UND Honor Athlete and served as team captain as UND played in their first-ever NCC Women's Basketball Tournament. Before coming to UND, Solseth-Fisher was an all-conference basketball and volleyball player and class valedictorian at Wadena (MN) High and named to the Minnesota All-State Basketball team in 1976. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from UND in May 1980 with a BS in Secondary Education-Social Science and embarked on a successful teaching and coaching career.
Mary Beth Dunlevy Tuttle (1983-1986)
Tuttle is a native of East Grand Forks, Minn. She came to UND in the fall of 1982 and graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a major in marketing. She later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. While at UND, Tuttle was one of the most decorated swimmers ever at UND. She was a 15-time North Central Conference champion and a 16-time swimming All-American, and she was the North Central Conference Women's Swimmer of the Year in 1984. She is one of only three women's swimmers in school history ever to win five NCC event titles in one year. In 1986, she won the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 50 fly and 100 fly. In her best event, the 100 butterfly, Tuttle was a three-time All-American. She placed second at nationals in 1984 with a time of :58.07 and then in 1985 won the NCAA Division II record in the event with a national record time of :57.12. In 1986, Tuttle finished second in the 100 fly in a time of :56.57. She was also a member of UND's 1985 NCAA Division II national champion 200 free relay team that set a national record at the time. That team still holds the school record for fastest 200 free relay time (1:35.58). She was a member of the 200 free relay team all four years at UND, and that team earned All-American honors all four of her years. Tuttle also earned All-American honors in the 100 freestyle in both 1985 and 1986, placing seventh both years in that event. She credits her UND education for instilling in her the importance of family and friends along with a strong work ethic. After UND, Tuttle continued her swimming career and became a Norwegian national swimming champion in 1988 and a two-time Masters National Swimming champion in 1993.
