MINNEAPOLIS, July 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The state of Minnesota has a rich history of women’s athletics – from trailblazers to Olympians, Minnesota has produced a staggering number of individuals who have made their mark on girls’ and women’s sports locally, nationally and internationally.
With the 50th anniversary of the landmark federal legislation known as Title IX coming in 2022, Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE) has announced the creation of the Land O’Lakes, Inc. Title IX Championship Tour to honor and celebrate the contributions that Minnesota female athletes/leaders have made to the advancement of girls’ and women’s sports. The bus tour is the first of several events formed to highlight the 50th anniversary of Title IX in advance of the 2022 NCAA Women’s Final Four on April 1 and 3 at Target Center in Minneapolis.
The Land O’Lakes, Inc. Title IX Championship Tour will feature a custom-decorated coach bus with 11 women who have been selected for their notable achievements in athletics: Annie Adamczak-Glavan, Ann Bancroft, Peg Brenden, Natalie Darwitz, Jessie Diggins, Tasha Feigh, Lisa Lissimore, Fartun Osman, Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Deb Sunderman and Lindsay Whalen (click here for bios). In addition, the tour will include a Title IX Honor Roll of 50 athletes, coaches, administrators, media and supporters (full list below).
This summer and fall, the Land O’Lakes, Inc. Title IX Championship Tour will travel to events in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota, including Minnesota Vikings Training Camp, the Land O’Lakes Legends Classic, the Mankato Marathon and more. Each tour stop will include educational exhibits, interactive games and photo opportunities. Click here for the current schedule.
The custom-wrapped exterior of the Land O’Lakes, Inc. Title IX Championship Tour bus was designed by Leeya Rose Jackson, a renowned black, femme and queer art director and designer living in Minneapolis. For more information about the artist, go here.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to educate, entertain and inspire Minnesotans – especially young girls who are aspiring athletes and future leaders – through the Land O’Lakes Title IX Championship Tour,” said Minnesota Sports and Events President & CEO Wendy Blackshaw. “The beautifully designed bus will be a traveling billboard for the accomplishments that so many women have made to sports and we look forward to sharing these women’s stories with the state.”
“As a Minnesota-based farmer cooperative with a deep commitment to our communities, we’re proud to support the effort to highlight the amazing achievements that so many of this state’s citizens have made in women’s athletics,” said Land O’Lakes, Inc. Chief Communications Officer Kim Olson. “The Land O’Lakes Title IX Championship Tour will be a great way for people to learn about the importance of, and celebrate, Title IX in advancing girls’ and women’s sports in Minnesota and beyond.”
To identify the featured 11 athletes/leaders, as well as the 50 individuals on the Title IX Honor Roll, MNSE engaged the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota to form a selection committee that finalized criteria and researched potential candidates. The committee was co-chaired by former Tucker Center director Dr. Mary Jo Kane and current director Dr. Nicole LaVoi.
“We’re proud to celebrate and honor these amazing women who have accomplished so much on and off the field of competition,” Dr. Kane said. “Minnesota is blessed with an abundance of outstanding individuals who have made their mark across the sports world before and after Title IX was enacted 50 years ago. Each individual our committee selected has an incredible story to share about how Title IX has impacted their life and career.”
For updates on the Land O’Lakes, Inc. Championship Tour, go here.
Title IX Featured Athletes/Leaders
| Annie Adamczak-Glavan | Ann Bancroft | Peg Brenden |
| Natalie Darwitz | Jessie Diggins | Tasha Feigh |
| Lisa Lissimore | Fartun Osman | Samantha Seliger-Swenson |
| Deb Sunderman | Lindsay Whalen |
Title IX Honor Roll
| Gabe (Anderson) Grunewald | Rachel Banham | Patty Berg |
| Rachel Blount | Winny Brodt-Brown | Margaret Chutich |
| Janet Cobbs | June Courteau | John and Sage Cowles |
| Ronda Jo Donatucci (Miller) | Jean Freeman | Belmar Gunderson |
| Susan Hagel | Charles Hallman | Rose Hollermann |
| Carol Howe-Veenstra | Faith Johnson-Patterson | Mary Jo Kane |
| Janet Karvonen | Pat Lamb | Jocelyne Larocque |
| Peggy Lucas | Judy Mahle Lutter | Shani Marks Johnson |
| Joel Maturi | Dorothy McIntyre | Dave and Linda Mona |
| Maya Moore | Tamara Moore | Cindy Nelson |
| Wendy Nelson | Peps Neuman | Maggie Nichols |
| Lea B. Olsen | Cheryl Reeve | Kathleen and Robert Ridder |
| Linda Roberts | Amanda Rome | Mark Rosen |
| Alexis Shifflett | Toni Stone | Glen Taylor |
| Penny Tollefson-Nelson | Kelly (Underkofler) Delander | Heather Van Norman |
| Chris Voelz | Mallory Weggemann | Krissy Wendell-Pohl |
| Niltooli Wilkins | Alise (Post) Willoughby |
ABOUT MINNESOTA SPORTS AND EVENTS
Minnesota Sports and Events is an independent 501(c)6 collaboration spearheaded by Bloomington CVB, Meet Minneapolis and Visit Saint Paul. The mission of MNSE is to maximize impact for the region’s economy, image and quality of life through the attraction, promotion and execution of world class events; to create a legacy fund to support the health and wellness of Minnesota’s families and to establish a mechanism to advocate for long-term financial sustainability.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f63cbf4d-8282-4119-82a7-5c72b5d83826
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecc0905b-7014-443a-b41c-bff62e41cb10
MEDIA CONTACTS
Debbie Estes, Minnesota Sports and Events, 612-819-3702, destes@mnsportsandevents.org
Kevin Kurtt, Meet Minneapolis, 612-767-8118, kevink@minneapolis.org
Kathy McCarthy, Meet Minneapolis, 612-767-8048, KathyM@minneapolis.org