Dec. 19, 2011
NORMAL, Ill. -
Former Illinois State Director of Athletics for women Laurie Mabry will be honored by the Illinois State Athletics Department at the Redbird women's basketball game against Creighton on Sunday, Jan. 22. A banner honoring Mabry's 25 years of service to Illinois State will be unfurled prior to the game and a video commemorating her career will be shown during halftime.
This celebration of Mabry and her successes will kick-off a year-long celebration of Redbird women's athletics to coincide with the 40-year anniversary of Title IX.
Mabry, who served as the director of athletics for women at Illinois State from 1960-82, also served as the Redbird women's golf coach (1961-75) and the women's basketball coach (1965-70). She was inducted into the Illinois State Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame in 1994, as well as the Women's Institute on Sport and Education (WISE) Hall of Fame during the same year.
In 1982, Mabry was inducted in the National Associate of Collegiate Directors (NACDA) Hall of Fame. During her tenure at Illinois State, the department hosted the first women's basketball national tournament in 1972. She also led Illinois State's women's sports from a low profile women's recreation association to a major national program.
In addition to taking Redbird women's athletics to new heights, Mabry also served women's athletics on a national stage. As one of the founders and former president (1975-76) of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), Mabry was instrumental in the enactment of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 into law. Mabry will be honored with the 2012 Pathfinder Award at the annual American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Dance (AAHPERD) and Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education and Dance (IAHPERD) convention.
Mabry retired in 1985 from Illinois State, after finishing her career as a professor in the department of kinesiology, formally known as heath, physical education, recreation and dance (HPERD).
Mabry's banner will be the 10th to hang from the rafters of Redbird Arena. Along with women's basketball representatives Cathy Boswell, Charlotte Lewis, Kristi Cirone and Jill Hutchison are former men's basketball players Doug Collins, Bubbles Hawkins and Jeff Wilkins, former head coach Will Robinson and former director of athletics Milt Weisbecker.
In addition, prior to the game against Creighton, all former Illinois State female letterwinners in attendance are invited to a pregame reception to be held in the Legends Room.
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