GRANVILLE, Ohio (June 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.

In our final release, we recognize the current leader of the Denison Athletics Department, Nan Carney-DeBord.

Nan Carney-DeBord (Associate V.P., Director of Athletics/HESS Division Director)
Now in her 13th year as the Director of Athletics at Denison University in 2023-24, Nan Carney-DeBord has made a definitive impact on the campus community with her brand of competitive excellence. She returned to her alma mater in 2011 as the Director of Athletics and faculty chair of the Health, Exercise and Sport Studies (HESS) major and was promoted to Associate Vice President in 2016. Denison athletics' foundation of competitive excellence is based on the values of trust, teamwork, integrity, leadership, growth mindset and diversity.

As a multi-dimensional, transformational leader and culture expert, Carney-DeBord empowers others by inspiring positive, collaborative environments and conversations to advance equity in leadership. With over 30 years of experience as a director of athletics, chair, professor, and notable women's head basketball coach, Carney-DeBord has influenced how others solve challenges, consider the world, and affect change. Currently the Associate Vice President of Athletics and Recreation at Denison University, Carney-DeBord drives critical decision-making that ensures the well-being of the student-athlete, as well as the overall university.  She is intentional about building effective teams and hiring exceptional talent that remains committed to academic distinction, growth, and service.

Under Carney-DeBord's watch, athletics teams at Denison consistently perform at the conference and national levels. In 2022, Denison was one of only nine colleges nationally — and the only college in the Midwest — that was recognized in the top-40 of both the U.S. News and World Report National Liberal Arts rankings and the Learfield Director's Cup D-III standings. Under her direction, Denison has won the North Coast Athletic Conference All-Sports Championship seven times (2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023). Since her arrival in the Fall of 2011, Denison has won 56 NCAC Championships and five Division III national championships, and the college completed its $38 million renovations and expansion to the Mitchell Center. In 2021, Carney-DeBord was named the NCAA Division III Women Leaders in College Sports Nike Executive of the Year; and in 2019, she was named the Under Armour Division III Athletics Director of the Year by the National Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

Q: What does Title IX mean to you and how do you think Title IX transformed women's sports?

A: I began high school in the year the bill was signed, 1972, so I always say I "lived" the transformation of Title IX in Athletics. I experienced firsthand the immediate changes being made in my high school, specifically in upgrades in uses of facilities, budgets and uniforms. Having played field hockey, basketball & softball in high school, there were many changes in all three sports which made a more competitive and equitable playing environment for girls and women. When I arrived at Denison in 1976, competing in the sports of field hockey and basketball, I saw many advances in offerings for women. However, I also experienced many inequities. My favorite story includes Jim Glerum '82, now a wonderful trustee and an inspiring Denisonian. Jim played on the men's basketball team when I played on the women's team. We were talking after practice one day about where we were studying that night and at what time. I told him I had to wash my practice gear prior to doing my homework. He said, "the men get their gear washed by Denison". I then asked the question to the AD.....why? And guess what? We received laundry service. So, Title IX was transformational in many ways, but mostly to give women an equal playing arena along with a voice.

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

A: The majority of my career was spent as the only woman in the room in college athletics. Now, the leadership of the NCAC and NCAA suggests that women are leading at a very high rate and organizations are thriving. When I first started as a college coach, I had half the operating budget of the men's program. I had to learn 'courage' early to ask the question, why?  Leadership in the early 80's and into the 90's didn't want the questions asked. Many women feared losing their jobs if they questioned equity. I was fortunate to have earned tenure in my coaching position which provided a sense of security in respectfully asking the question.

Q: What action have you taken to support Title IX and why is it important to continue to educate student-athletes on the impact Title IX has had?

A: I quickly became the Title IX and equity advocate in the 80's and 90's. This was not originally a position I aspired to be in, but clearly was necessary for the advancement of women and women's athletics. I am committed to inclusion, diversity, and equity in athletics. We are continually looking at ways to increase our applicant pools in the hiring processes. We continue to use data to inform our decisions such as the EADA report. We are always examining strategies and opportunities to  provide equity & inclusion within the department. A firm example was the addition of women's fencing as the 26th varsity sport at Denison. We are excited to have the interest and competitive excellence in a recently added program. Specifically, during this year, I have accepted many requests to be a keynote speaker in the area of Title IX in athletics. The story is just beginning. Our current student-athletes are going to have to embrace the responsibility of 'carrying the ball' so when we look back 50 years from now, the growth curve will have been impacting.

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 always a curious person. When I saw an inequity, I asked about it (laundry example), but I also asked about differential facility usage and practice times and locker room space (the 3-prong test of Title IX). Mostly, I attempt to set the example that "Strong Women Lift Each Other Up" and to reverse the stereotype of seeing "gender first, competency second" to "competency first". We often forget that women's sports were not a part of the NCAA until the early 80's, while men's sports have a long, rich history. With that knowledge, you must account for differences in experiences and opportunities and find ways to empower women of all backgrounds, culture, and heritage to advance them in our culture. It may take longer, but most good things are worth the wait.