The Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee plans to recognize Women’s History Month in the month of March. 

The committee recently recognized Black History Month by uploading interviews of African American student-athletes highlighting the stories of African American athletes along with the group hosting meetings where they’d watch videos such as the 1968 Summer Olympics where African American medalist protested. 

Elizabeth Hoge, the Assistant Athletic Director, finds SAAC now plans to recognize female athletes not only on campus but extending this recognition to young female athletes outside of campus. 

“One thing we do, we do a girl in sports day,” Hoge said.  “We’ve done it for three years now, this will be our fourth year.” 

National Girls and Women in Sports Day is recognized on February 5; however, the department will be hosting it in April to ensure all young female athletes are able to participate.   

It’s a day that recognizes female athletes’ achievements and challenges to further inclusion for girls in sports.  Ashland has found much success in hosting this event with around 80-100 young women coming out to participate in the activities.   

“They get to rotate around with all the different teams,” Hoge said.  “We also included wrestling and flag football last year.  So, kind of also trying to get on top of emerging women’s sports as well.” 

For the month of March, the campus can expect to see video testimonies from female athletes explaining the importance of recognizing Women’s History Month in relation to being female athletes.  

“We’re also going to similar how we’re doing the campaign for Black History Month, also work on doing that for Women’s History Month as well,” Hoge said. 

The group is still discussing what they’ve done, in past years Hoge sent out “here’s what a basketball women’s uniform used to look like, and here’s what it looks like now.” 

Hoge found that it was well received because previous to the email being sent out, athletes weren’t aware women played in full skirts and were able to find how that hindered the success of female athletes that came before them and how far female athletics has come in allowing their success. 

“I think our women’s teams are very strong here and you know, I think it’s a powerful thing that we have so many great female athletes and female teams and female coaches,” Hoge said.  “We are very female heavy right now in our staff which is awesome” 

The women’s sports teams on campus consist of the following: basketball, cross country, epsorts, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, STUNT, swim & dive, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. 

The goal of March is to promote the Girls and Women in Sports Day event because Hoge finds it’s “important to get their impressions and kind of get their interactions,” to communicate the strong female presence in Ashland Athletics. 

Hoge hopes to use Women’s History Month to highlight the strong female athletes on campus, and to spread across the city of Ashland the girls in sports day event so young women can connect with Ashland’s female athletes. 

“When these girls come here and they interact with you, you’re like an immortal person to them, like they look up to you and the power that you have on them is fairly large.” 

The event will be hosted on Sunday, April 13 with more information to be announced on the goashlandeagles Instagram alongside video testimonies of female athletes. \