GRANVILLE, Ohio (April 9, 2023) – This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a landmark piece of legislation for gender equity.

In recognition of the 50th year of Title IX, Denison University Athletics asks you to join us in our year-long celebration as we recognize and pay tribute to the impact the women of this university have had on the athletic department.

On the ninth of each month from July 2022 to May 2023, Denison Athletics will highlight various female pioneers, former student-athletes, current student-athletes and coaches highlighting their impact on Denison Athletics and their thoughts on Title IX's impact on their lives.

Next up, we honor the current female head coaches at Denison who continue to move us forward and pave the way for women competing in intercollegiate sports.

Tiffany Ozbun (Softball)
Tiffany Ozbun is in her 16th season as the Head Softball Coach at Denison in 2023. Ozbun is the program's all-time leader in victories with a career record of 310-205. A two-time NCAC Coach of the Year, Ozbun has led DU to three NCAC Tournament Championships, three NCAA Division III Regional Tournament appearances, and three NCAC regular-season titles. She is the active leader in coaching victories in the NCAC.

Q: What does Title IX mean to you?

A: Title IX means equity for all. The federal law was passed to ensure that males and females are treated equally and fairly in educational settings. Typically, the discussion around Title IX is focused on female equity. When the law was passed in 1972, males had access to more opportunities (i.e. athletics/education) so creating more opportunities for females was the immediate focus. Over time, as organizations worked to comply with the federal law, some chose to take opportunities away from males rather than increase opportunities for females. This was a gross way to become compliant and not in the spirit in which the law was written. The intent was to bring the female opportunities up to where the male opportunities were, not to take opportunities away.   

Q: What effects do you believe title IX has had on your life, either as a coach or as a student-athlete?

A: Without Title IX, I would not have had the opportunity to play three sports in high school, one sport in college, and have a career in college athletics. I have been able to live out a lifelong dream thanks to the opportunities created by Title IX.  

Q: Why is it important to continue to reflect on the impact Title IX has had? How do you continue to educate your student-athletes on the impact Title IX has had?

A: History provides us with a sense of identity. History makes us what we are today. Understanding our history allows us to cope with the problems and solutions of the present and the future. Continuing to educate our student-athletes on the intent of Title IX will hopefully give another generation the tools to ensure that equity for all continues well into the future.

Q: Can you talk about a time in your life where you noticed inequities in sports, how that impacted you or your sport, and how you handled it?

A: I was extremely fortunate to have been raised by parents who supported all of my dreams and aspirations...even if they knew it would lead to failure. We always lived in communities that offered opportunities for all. I don't remember a time I was told "no" due to my gender. Early on in my athletic career the only opportunities I had to play basketball and baseball (softball wasn't offered) were on all boys' teams. I don't recall feeling different or being treated differently. I attended a high school where equality was a priority and that continued through college. It wasn't until graduate school that I was exposed to gender inequity and Title IX. My boss, the head softball coach at the University of Louisville, had been a part of a Title IX lawsuit when she was employed at Colorado State. During a lecture in my sport law class, our professor discussed the specific case involving my boss. The next day in the office I asked her about her experience at Colorado State. My mind was blown. I had never personally experienced gender discrimination so hearing her story was extremely eye opening for me. Over the next two years of working with the softball team at Louisville, I watched how our head coach fought to ensure the experiences of the softball student-athletes were equal to that of the baseball student-athletes. Knowing what she had gone through as a student-athlete and professional at Colorado State helped me understand the importance of her fight.

Discrimination (gender, race, socio-economic, etc.) is still very present in our world, despite our efforts to eliminate it. Awareness is the first step in making our world better. Denison's Title IX celebration throughout this school year has been an awesome way to celebrate our history while educating our future.   

Lauren Grogan (Golf)
Lauren Grogan is in her fourth season as the Head Men's and Women's Golf Coach at Denison in 2022-23. In 2021, Grogan led both the Denison men and women's golf programs to their first NCAC Championships in program history, followed by subsequent trips to the NCAA Division III National Championship. Under the direction of Coach Grogan, the Denison men's golf team went on to finish in seventh place at the 2021 NCAA Division III Championship, which was the best finish at nationals in program history. Coach Grogan was named the 2021 NCAC Coach of the Year and the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year. The Denison women's golf team then went on to capture its second straight NCAC Championship under the direction of Coach Grogan in 2022.

Q: What does Title IX mean to you?

A: Title IX is so important. Although I was fortunate to have played on an organized team and with equal access and facilities, that wasn't/isn't the same experience for everyone. It means that in your facet of life, not just sport, women have the same access and opportunities as the men do. I am so thankful for everyone who has pushed the boundaries to create equal access across the board.

Q: What effects do you believe title IX has had on your life, either as a coach or as a student-athlete?

A: I believe that it has helped create opportunities for me as both a player and coach. Now as a coach I have a better appreciation for, and understanding of the impact that it has had. I really try to look at everything through the Title IX lens and make sure that both of my teams are getting the same opportunities and access. Golf is known historically as a "gentleman's game", however it does not have to be. Educating our athletes on things such as the forward tees vs. calling them the women's tees are things we talk about often and I feel fortunate that our athletes, both men and women have a high regard for the equality and access for all.

Q: Why is it important to continue to reflect on the impact Title IX has had? How do you continue to educate your student-athletes on the impact Title IX has had?

A: It is important to continue to reflect on the impact that Title IX has had so we can continue to move forward. I believe you need to know where you have been to know where you are going, so much has changed since 1972, but there is still work to do. Many strong women have helped pave the way for myself and others to continue to have equal opportunities in sport and all other facets of life as well. Having conversations with our athletes and sharing stories helps keep it present and in the front of our minds. I think that it is important to keep asking questions and not being afraid to stand up for what is right. Having both men's and women's programs creates a unique opportunity to educate and create conversations.

Q: Can you talk about a time in your life where you noticed inequities in sports, how that impacted you or your sport, and how you handled it?

A: Being a coach of both a men's and women's program I have noticed some of the inequities in our sport itself. More times than not I get asked if I am the assistant coach or just the coach of the women's team, or "are you the coach today?". I experienced this at our first time at the National Championship. I smile and say, "No, I am the head men's and women's coach". I have had a couple of people repeat the question as if I did not hear it correctly. When something like this happens I try to approach it knowing that I am representing our team and Denison. Some people are kinder than others, but at the end of the day it is helping them understand that being a male or a female does not make you only capable of coaching one gender. I have to say that our men are incredible and have respectfully stood up for me on course when athletes have questioned having a female coach to them during a tournament, I am very lucky to have the men and women athletes that we do. There are not many women that are the head coach of men's teams, and I am so thankful that Denison gave me the opportunity to show that it is possible.

Amanda Daniels (Lacrosse)
Amanda Daniels is in for her 10th season as Head Women's Lacrosse Coach at Denison in 2023. Few coaches have had a better start to their careers than Daniels. In nine years and eight full seasons (2020 season was shortened due to COVID-19) as the Big Red head coach, she has guided Denison to eight straight NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, a Final Four appearance in 2021, five North Coast Athletic Conference championships and seven NCAC Tournament titles. From April 11, 2015, to April 2, 2022, the Big Red won 45 consecutive regular-season conference games.

At Denison, Daniels has compiled an impressive record of 111-42 (.725 pct.) while going 55-5 (.917 pct.) in NCAC contests. She was named the NCAC Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2016, and is a three-time IWLCA Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year in 2016, 2019, and 2021. On February 27, 2022, Denison defeated Dickinson College 17-11 as Coach Daniels earned her 100th career win as head coach of the Big Red.

In 2021, the Big Red had an historic run into the NCAA Tournament that saw them fall to eventual National Champion Salisbury in the Final Four. The Big Red finished the season 12-2 overall, went undefeated in the NCAC (5-0) for the fifth full season in a row, won their fifth straight NCAC Championship and captured their seventh straight NCAC tournament title.

Q: What does Title IX mean to you? What effects do you believe title IX has had on your life, either as a coach or as a student-athlete?

A: Without realizing it at the time, Title IX's effects have been present throughout many of my sport experiences. Being involved with organized sport in some capacity for 35+ years has allowed me to not only see, but experience the impact that Title IX has had on girls and women. While you don't always think about it in the current moment, looking back I'm first sad because my mom didn't have the opportunities I was given. Then I'm grateful for the opportunities I had, then a little jealous (but mostly proud) of the opportunities girls are given now. It's still not perfect, but true growth has occurred and that makes me hopeful and excited for future generations. 

Q: Can you talk about a time in your life where you noticed inequities in sports, how that impacted you or your sport?

A: Personally, my experience through sport was mostly male driven through most of my childhood. As a kid, I played baseball with the boys until I was in middle school because there wasn't a serious girls softball league, and I was consistently overlooked for any "All-Star" team opportunities. I played in many "co-ed" soccer leagues where I was the only girl in the entire league, including during one summer when I was in college. One of the men on an opposing team once said to me, "I don't care that you're a girl, I'm still going to play how I play." Honestly, I loved this, but he was also twice my size, and why did he need to say that to me anyway? In high school, a few girls had to participate on the boy's lacrosse team for a girl's program to be established the next year. The crazy thing is, without them having the courage to do this I'm not sure lacrosse would have had any part of my future. In college, my soccer and lacrosse teams shared a head coach (as did the volleyball and softball teams at the time). Personally, I loved having the same coach for both seasons, but being a head coach now, I understand how unfair it truly was to that coach and all the players involved. Looking back, I'm not sure I would change any of my experiences as they all helped shape who I am, but I also know things could have been a lot easier and maybe I could have had even more growth both on and off the field with a more equitable experience.

Ultimately, when I find myself reflecting on Title IX, I spend most of my time being incredibly grateful for all of the girls and women who came before me and helped pave the way for us all to be where we are today. It's vital that this generation continues to do the hard work while honoring those who came before us by pushing forward and never settling.

Jaime Scott (Tennis)
Jamie Scott is in her sixth year as the Head Women's Tennis Coach at Denison and in in her ninth year overall at Denison in 2022-23. In her first five seasons at the helm of the Big Red, Scott boasts an overall record of 54-30 (.649 pct.), including five straight winning seasons, two national tournament appearances, three division titles and three straight appearances in the NCAC Tournament Championship (2018, 2019, 2022), including an NCAC Championship in 2022. Scott was named the NCAC Coach of the Year for the first time in her career in 2022. 2021 saw the Big Red win a match at the NCAA Division III National Tournament for the first time since 2016 and advance to the third round of the tournament for the first time since 2011.

Q: What does Title IX mean to you?

A: Title IX allows me to do the things that I enjoy. It has given me the freedom to have choices throughout my life and to participate in programs that many women before me were not given the same luxury. I am grateful for those who came before me and helped put Title IX into action. These women enabled me to grow up and make a career in a sport filled environment through which I have made countless memories, friendships and mentors.

Q: What effects do you believe title IX has had on your life, either as a coach or as a student-athlete?

A: Title IX provided the grassroots for my education & career. I received a full athletic scholarship in college and the opportunities and experiences I had would not have been possible without Title IX. These experiences and opportunities ultimately shaped my life into what it is today and provided the pathway into my collegiate coaching career.

Q: Why is it important to continue to reflect on the impact Title IX has had? How do you continue to educate your student-athletes on the impact Title IX has had?

A: It's incredible to learn the history behind Title IX and all the barriers that were broken down for us to be where we are today. With the celebration of the 50-year anniversary, it's really brought light to what once was, where we've gotten, and what still lies ahead for women in sports. During my time as a student-athlete, I think it's fair to say I was definitely a little naive and took for granted the opportunities at my feet. By continuing to educate my student-athletes, it creates an appreciation and humbling attitude to really highlight the privilege that is college sports.

Q: Can you talk about a time in your life where you noticed inequities in sports, how that impacted you or your sport, and how you handled it?

A: As a student-athlete, one thing that really impacted my sport was our travel needs. For most of our matches, we would need to depart campus on Thursday to allow for travel time. The University I attended was around two hours (one way) from the nearest "large airport." Almost every week we would leave on Thursday for our Saturday & Sunday competitions, ultimately being absent from classes on both days.

On the flipside, other male revenue generating sports, would have planes chartered into our local "small airport" 10 minutes outside of town and leave on Fridays for their Saturday games. It was definitely a hard situation to miss two full days of class each week, plus the added toll of long travel.

All in all, we were still very fortunate in getting to travel and having access to matches. I think spotlighting this gives us an opportunity to show the progress we have made, but that we still have areas that need continued improvement.