AUSTIN - Jody Conradt, the Hall of Fame women's basketball coach who won 900 games in her 38-year career, will be honored by Texas with a statue in her Flanked by about 20 family members including wife Sheila, his spouse of 39 years, Page waved at the appreciative crowd, his eyes glistening from the spotlight aimed Tower had input in drafting his amendment from President Gerald Ford, an ex-Michigan football star. Gracious and dynamic as ever at age 81, Conradt on this day has come to UTs gleaming Frank Denius Family Athletics Hall of Fame to discuss the 50th anniversary of the civil rights law that changed her life and those of millions of other American women. When the University of Texas hired Jody Conradt to coach its women's basketball team for $17,000 in 1976, one of the state's largest newspapers announced AUSTIN - Jody Conradt, the Hall of Fame women's basketball coach who won 900 games in her 38-year career, will be honored by Texas with a statue in her likeness at the Erwin Center. And yes, she loved winning. Jody Conradt, after her 900th coaching victory, has seen the impact of Title IX grow and continue. As director of the division of recreational sports, she chaired the committee that established a department for womens intercollegiate athletics at the university. Easily the states best womens basketball program since the late 1940s was Plainviews Wayland Baptist and its Flying Queens, the first school in the country to offer full scholarships to women athletes, largely funded by a local businessman. All of that has happened, I think, as a result of Title IX.. His sons Aaron and Andrew, daughter Aubrey and a group of grandchildren were there, snapping photographs and soaking in the warmth of the moment. He coached the womens basketball team in the pre-Jody Conradt Era 1973 to 1976 at fabled Gregory Gym. But at Texas expectations are elevated regardless of endeavor or gender, as was illustrated to Lopiano twice in her first month on the Forty Acres. FILE - Texas forward Tiffany Jackson (33) points during Big 12 women's basketball tournament practice Monday, March 5, 2007 in Oklahoma City, Okla. Jackson, a former standout at the University of Texas who was the Her time at UT also included coaching the sport's first undefeated national champion. 2 Indiana, No. 10 Irish lose top scorer Miles to knee injury. AUSTIN Addie Jo Conradt and her Goldthwaite High basketball teammates didnt realize how good they had it, relatively. They are delightful young women, eager, ready to learn, ready to work. #1 On Your Birthday Pat Summitt and Jody Conradt first met at a basketball camp in 1974. She saw the good in me, the best in me. ft. of basketball history. Her aspirations were to teach. (Editor's note: This is the fifth in a series of feature profiles on this year's Hall of Fame and Wall of Honor selections that will be posted every Thursday, leading up to the Nov. 22 Hall of Fame banquet.). Conradt to receive Giant Steps Award from National Consortium for Academics and Sports [Jan. 28, 2008] Ultimately she agreed to be the athletic director, but only if she was allowed to keep coach. UTA somehow won. Conradt had a 900-307 career record as a coach. Conradt coached Texas from 1976 to 2007, and finished with a career record of 900-307. Yainer Diaz becomes first Astros hitter to violate new MLB rules. 1 as 15 ranked teams lose, TCU coach Pebley to step down at end of season, Iowa's Clark hits 3 at buzzer to beat No. Jody Conradt; Former Texas standout and WNBA player Jackson dies at 37. Women can be whatever they want to be at this point in time and not feel like they are in a minority - and not feel like they are a visitor in the area of their pursuit. The first time I caught a glimpse of Pat Head's fiery competitive spirit wasn't at the scorer's table to shake hands after our two UT teams had battled against one another on the hardwood. A UT coach for three years two as a member of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women there were no athletic scholarships for his players when he took the job. "We changed the world.". WebJody Conradts childhood revolved around community, family, friends and sports in the small West Texas town of Goldthwaite. Its always thrilling to take a diamond in the rough and build it. Two days after his removal, Conradt was hired by Lopiano. Jackson was a standout for Jody Conradt's final Texas teams, one of only three Longhorns to ever achieve three-time All-American status. The postbaccalaureate impact is the same for the role player and the Olympian. She retired from coaching in 2007, but remains active as special assistant in administration to Chris Del Conte, who in 2017, his first year as athletic director, combined the mens and womens programs as one department, making Texas the last NCAA Division I school to do so. She was 45 years old. Having common goals. Conradt received her B.S. After retiring she went on to a career in nulrsing and worked for a veterans hospital both in the surgery unit and later management. Always improving. We would commit to playing each other every year, alternating the games between Austin and Knoxville, Tenn. Her first college head coaching job was overseeing basketball and volleyball at Sam Houston State from 1969 to 1973. Especially at Texas, Conradt showcased her student-athletes, their speed and athleticism in a fast-breaking, run-and-shoot attack that lifted herteams to enormous popularity. Conradt will be just the second female public figure to have a statue dedicated on the Texas campus, joining civil rights champion and former U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan. 8 ejected after UK-Florida scuffle at SEC tourney, Auriemma critical of 'selfish' Huskies after finale, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, S. Carolina stays No. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Houston rap royalty Bun B on returning to Rodeo for another Takeover, Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen as soon as next week, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston-area pastor calls for state book ban. Conradt honored with Lifetime Achievement Award by NACWAA [June 4, 2010] Self-Morgan, who has coached Westlake and Duncanville to multiple high school state championships, does not recall Page complaining about racial discrimination. Being a teacher or, if I went to Brownwood, I might see a nurse.. Its fun to watch.. And I think you should be athletic director because, if you dont take the role, theyre likely to combine the departments and well lose everything weve built. , Problem was, Conradt wanted to keep coaching. Joe Youngblood AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas will honor former women's coach Jody Conradt with a 7-foot bronze statue inside the Longhorns' basketball arena. Lopianos departure represented a crossroad for Texas womens athletics and for Conradt personally. Those women, Conradt notes, truly played out of love of competing. When in 1976, at age 35, she finally climbed from coaching basketball, softball and volleyball at UT-Arlington to coaching basketball and volleyball at Texas, the Fort Worth Star-Telegrams headline trumpeted: Woman Earns Man-Size Salary: $17,000.. Forty years after Title IX became law, Granburys Leta Andrews continues to fight for equity in girls sports, Texas talent: Meet some of the most influential and pioneering female athletes in history, As Title IX turns 50, University of Texas exes reflected on common bond of championships, How pro path for female athletes has changed since Title IX, and where it needs to improve, 50 years of Title IX: Meet the next generation of star female athletes from D-FW, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy addresses philosophical differences between him, Kellen Moore, Ray Davis optimistic, anxious about Rangers season amidst tumultuous TV situation, Cowboys Mike McCarthy has more power, fewer excuses. Conradt among National Sportsmanship Day 20th Anniversary honorees [Feb. 25, 2011] WebATLANTA (March 10, 2021) Legendary hall of famer Jody Conradt is the recipient of the 2021 Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her lifelong Her aspirations were to Texas already has statues honoring former football coach Darrell Royal and Heisman Trophy winners Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams outside the football stadium. It was circa 1974 when we were counselors at a Patsy Neal Basketball Camp in North Carolina. Years later, Coach Conradt joined Dean Our conversations about the women's game started years before our teams faced one another. WebFind out where Jody Conradt was born, their birthday and details about their professions, education, religion, family and other life details and facts. Once we settled in at our respective institutions in our respective shades of orange, I think we both realized the opportunity before us. - Texas talent: Meet some of the most influential and pioneering female athletes in history, - As Title IX turns 50, University of Texas exes reflected on common bond of championships, - Jody Conradt, University of Texas embody the shaping, struggles and success of Title IX, - How pro path for female athletes has changed since Title IX, and where it needs to improve, - 50 years of Title IX: Meet the next generation of star female athletes from D-FW. Brad Townsend, Sports enterprise reporter, Mavericks and NBA.. Dallas Morning News sports reporter since 1993. Her annual athletic budget was $1,200 and her $12,000 salary derived not from coaching, but teaching seven activities classes. She didnt even know the school had what was called an extramural womens basketball team until she wandered into Rena Marrs McLean gym, heard the thump of a basketball and was invited to join in. Registration for this event is now open in the THSCA Member Portal . Doors will open at 8:00 AM. Texas unveils statue to honor coach Conradt. They often stayed with families, dining with people they didnt know. More important, 99 percent of her players graduated. 2023 The University of Texas at Austin Athletics, J. Dan Brown Family Player Development Center, Conradt among National Sportsmanship Day 20th Anniversary honorees, Conradt honored with Joe Lapchick Character Award, Conradt honored with Lifetime Achievement Award by NACWAA, Conradt to co-chair WBCA ethics committee, Conradt to be honored with TAHPERD Pathfinder Award, Conradt selected as 2008 Naismith Outstanding Contributors to Basketball award winners, Conradt to receive Giant Steps Award from National Consortium for Academics and Sports, Sam Houston State University: 74-23 (1969-73), The University of Texas at Arlington: 43-39 (1973-76), The University of Texas at Austin: 783-245 (1976-2007), The University of Texas at Austin: 62-38-7 (1976-77), Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1998), National Coach of the Year (1979-80, 1985-86, 1996-97, 2003-04), Carol Eckmann Award for contributions to women's basketball, Women's Basketball Coaches Association (1987), The University of Texas-Arlington Athletics Hall of Honor (1987), The University of Texas Women's Athletics Hall of Honor (2000 inaugural class), International Women's Sports Hall of Fame, Women's Sports Foundation, New York (1995), Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Waco, Texas (1998), Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Knoxville, Tenn. (1999 inaugural class), International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame, Kingston, R.I. (2003), 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America, Institute for International Sport, Kingston, R.I. (2007), Giant Steps Award, National Consortium for Academics and Sports, Orlando, Fla. (2007), Outstanding Contributor to Basketball, Atlanta Tipoff Club (2008), Sam Houston State University Athletics Hall of Fame (2010), Texas Women's Hall of Fame, Dallas (1986), Baylor University Distinguished Alumnus (1989), Field Scovell Award, Dallas All-Sports Association (2003), Harvey Penick Award for Excellence in the Game of Life, Caritas of Austin (2003), CASEY Award, Kansas City Sports Association (2004), Woman of Distinction Award, Central Texas Girl Scouts (2005), Neighborhood Longhorns Linking Community With Education Award, Austin (2006), Most Worthy Citizen Award, Austin Board of Realtors (2007), Bridges Award, The Movement Organization, Austin (2007), Commencement Speaker, UT Graduation (2008), Legends Honoree, Dallas Texas Exes Chapter Texas-OU Weekend (2008), Distinguished speaker series, internships, Health and wellness research at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. As only the second woman ever inducted into the Springfield, Mass., Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998, Conradt is known as a pioneer, but also a durable, dynamic and ethical leader who gave credibility towomens collegiate basketballduring 31years as head coach with the Longhorns. Page described Thompson as a very special human being., In Betty Thompsons eyes, I saw acceptance and belief, he continued. As coaches and administrators, we are judged by wins and losses. In the ensuing days, it became clear to Conradt that UTs administration wanted her to take the AD job, but they werent very optimistic about me doing both.. Before camp registration, we toured campus with her three daughters and her mother, showing them where she had studied, stayed in the dorm and played basketball. Her aspirations were to teach. A sixth sense about the game. The next season, on Dec. 14, 1986, we'd lose to the Lady Vols 85-78 in Austin. This was not the case for many women prior to 1972. Conradt was a high school teacher and assistant girls basketball coach under legendary Waco Midway school administrator M.T. After Lopiano faxed specifics of the $2.4 million mens budget, the attorney asked for a copy of the UT womens sports budget, which Lopiano recalls was $128,000, including a total scholarship allocation of $10,000. Lopiano deduced that it was Stephen F. Austins Sue Gunter or UT-Arlingtons Conradt. In the mid-70s, when Coach Jody Conradt was building a winning women's basketball program at Texas, she spent $5 on a magazine that explained North Carolina coach Dean Smith's run-and-jump defense. We were just trying to provide opportunities for young women.. He could not remember the last time hes seen a Texas basketball game. She says it was stressful time, but the lawsuit that forced the addition of three sports proved necessary. After coaching at Sam Houston State and serving as coach/womens athletics director at UT-Arlington, Conradts classroom became a 16,000-seat arena at The University of Texas at Austin. Not even a consideration. Jody Conradt was nurtured by the small-town, West Texas values of Goldthwaite (population1,822), where her childhood revolved around community, family, friends and sports. Creating a model collegiate program that several other schools have tried to emulate, but few have managed to duplicate, she led her teams to over 900 wins and an undefeated 34-0 national championship in 1986. The laws contentious path to acceptance and understanding nationally largely mirrors what happened at Texas, but UT today stands as a shining example of Title IX. 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