SPORTS OOPS PROFESSIONAL

She said she is grateful for Athletic Director Gene SmithвЂ™s support as sheвЂ™s worked with the menвЂ™s and womenвЂ™s teams at Ohio State. Not only did Dennis say she wants to see continued change and improvement for athletic equity, but she hopes more opportunities arise for women who aspire to become a coach. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Civil Rights. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, according to the U.S. Today, Dennis said living conditions have improved and thereвЂ™s been вЂњexponential increaseвЂќ in salaries for women athletes. She said women athletes shared beds, traveled in vans instead of buses and waited for the men to leave the building before entering to practice. When she got into her career, Dennis said she had a budget around $23,000 to use for travel and recruiting expenses. вЂњItвЂ™s just been a unified and a total effort on behalf of the entire athletic department here for me.вЂќДЄcross her 45-year coaching career, Dennis experienced vast change in college athletics and sports overall. IвЂ™ve had an amazing group of coaches who have traveled this whole journey with me, who have struggled with me, who have fought with me,вЂќ Dennis said. вЂњItвЂ™s all very rewarding to me to see not just my success because it doesnвЂ™t come solo.

While achieving plenty of accomplishments and earning hardware, Dennis said she traversed the many seasons with help from her support staff, from academic oversight to athletic trainers to compliance. The 12-time Big Ten Track and Field Coach of the Year earned as many conference championships, coaching 140 athletes to Big Ten titles and eight Olympians along the way. The athletic department announced Monday that Dennis will retire from coaching and will introduce the next head coach Wednesday, according to an Ohio State spokesperson. вЂњThatвЂ™s probably one of the most satisfying moments in my entire career when I sat there and watched those kids for two hours on the track just celebrate together with their families, take pictures and just enjoy the moment with each other.вЂќДennis said sheвЂ™s thought about retirement over the last five years, but felt like now was the right time to commit to a decision.

SPORTS OOPS PROFESSIONAL

вЂњMy professional dream was to have both our men and our women win together so that they could celebrate together,вЂќ Dennis said.

After the meet, she said she set up a chair as members of the Ohio State menвЂ™s and womenвЂ™s track and field teams shared their excitement with one another.

Over a career that spanned more than four decades, the most satisfying moment during Karen DennisвЂ™ tenure at Ohio State came in May.Дennis led the Buckeyes to become the first program since 1997 to earn Big Ten Outdoor Championships both for the menвЂ™s and womenвЂ™s teams May 15. Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Karen Dennis will retire after 20 seasons with the Buckeyes, the Ohio State athletic department announced Monday.

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