In one of its final celebrations of Title IX’s 50th anniversary, the NCAA holds the Divisions I, II, and III Women’s National Championship games at one location.
The Division I Women’s Final Four has long been a much-celebrated conclusion to women’s college basketball season. Awards are given, swag bags are lush, and the games are a must-see for fans. This year, the final game was televised on ABC for the first time. While the passion for the game is just as strong in Divisions II and III, the spotlight hasn’t shone nearly as bright. The players competed with intensity, but audiences and media coverage can’t compare.
Lynn Holzman
“When we did this [in 2016] the Division II and III student-athletes said it was one of the highlights of their entire athletic career,” said Lynn Holzman, vice president for NCAA Women’s Basketball. “Crowning three National Champions in women’s basketball — one of the most visible collegiate women’s sports — and doing it around a narrative of the 50th anniversary of Title IX … gives us an opportunity to use this joint championship as a platform to elevate women’s basketball.”
Equity
“The issues surrounding equity became very public,” said Holzman, referring to the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament, at which stark differences between the men’s and women’s tournaments were revealed. “People before me in leadership positions … and others have been fighting these battles for many years for equity and also for investment in order to grow.
“If there’s a role that women’s basketball has played, I think it’s the fact that it spurred more transparent, open and public dialogue around doing what is right with gender equity.”
