Bowling Green State University Athletics
Title IX: A Look Back at Lacrosse
October 06, 2022 | General
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, BGSU athletics is taking a look at the history of women's sports throughout the years. The information in this series was lifted from the book 'Forward Falcons: Women's Sports at Bowling Green State University' written by Janet B. Parks, Ann Bowers, and Adelia Hostetler Muti. Forward Falcons documents and preserves the history of Bowling Green State University women's sports from 1914 through 1982. During these pre-NCAA years, women coached most of the teams, and organizations composed primarily of women set the program standards.
To read the entire book, you can go to:Â https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bgsu_books/3/
This series will also include some of our Heritage Sports and current teams.
Lacrosse
In the fall of 1970, HPER graduate assistant Annella Petkovich, approached Sue Hager about starting a women's lacrosse team in the following spring. Typically, women students entering BGSU did not have prior experience in lacrosse. Most of the players acquired interest and skill through Durentini's lacrosse courses. In an interesting approach to skill development, the women's and men's teams would occasionally scrimmage against each other to help the men focus on their footwork and stick-checking skills rather than on body checking.
The lacrosse team finished the 1973 season with a 7-1 mark, which included a 13-1 rout of a team composed of players from various Midwest schools. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, the lacrosse team continued its winning ways, sporting a 32-9 record from 1973 through 1976. The prowess of BG players was acknowledged regionally as Falcons were consistently among those selected to play on Midwest I and II teams in U.S. Women's Lacrosse Association (USWLA) national tournaments.
In 1976, the club had a 12-2 record, the best in its history, and they also performed well in the MWLA Tournament at Earlham College. During the season, they defeated traditional powerhouses such as Oberlin, Wittenberg, and Wooster. As a fitting conclusion to her lacrosse career, senior Ginny McGee was named to the Midwest All-Star team for the fourth straight year.
In 1977, Durentini left for a one-year leave of absence to begin work toward a doctorate, and former men's lacrosse coach Mickey Cochrane took the reins as interim coach. Cochrane's approach paid off as the Falcon laxers again had a winning (5-4-2) season. In the fall of 1978, Coach D returned to BG and resumed coaching both field hockey and lacrosse. The 1979 laxers went 9-2-1, outscoring their opponents 149-84.
In 1981, Durentini relinquished her coaching duties in order to devote herself full-time to teaching in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. She had coached the varsity lacrosse team for 10 of its 11 seasons. During those years, which included one year under the guidance of Mickey Cochrane, eight Falcons were selected for the Midwest I or II teams that played in the USWLA National Tournament: Patti Follansbee (1972, 1973, 1974), Ginny McGee (1974, 1975, 1976), Denise Nearhoof (1975), Debi Delaney (1975), Tina Bryant (1977), Cindy McDonald (1977), Julie Lewis (1979), and Mary George (1979).
Also in 1981, the Athletics Committee recommended continuing women's lacrosse for the next year. In a July 14 memo, however, Athletics Director Jim Lessig informed the committee that Interim President Michael Ferrari had declined to approve a search for a new coach. Ferrari had based his decision on the University's precarious financial condition and outlook. Consequently, women's lacrosse was discontinued as a varsity sport.
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To read the entire book, you can go to:Â https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bgsu_books/3/
This series will also include some of our Heritage Sports and current teams.
Lacrosse
In the fall of 1970, HPER graduate assistant Annella Petkovich, approached Sue Hager about starting a women's lacrosse team in the following spring. Typically, women students entering BGSU did not have prior experience in lacrosse. Most of the players acquired interest and skill through Durentini's lacrosse courses. In an interesting approach to skill development, the women's and men's teams would occasionally scrimmage against each other to help the men focus on their footwork and stick-checking skills rather than on body checking.
The lacrosse team finished the 1973 season with a 7-1 mark, which included a 13-1 rout of a team composed of players from various Midwest schools. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, the lacrosse team continued its winning ways, sporting a 32-9 record from 1973 through 1976. The prowess of BG players was acknowledged regionally as Falcons were consistently among those selected to play on Midwest I and II teams in U.S. Women's Lacrosse Association (USWLA) national tournaments.
In 1976, the club had a 12-2 record, the best in its history, and they also performed well in the MWLA Tournament at Earlham College. During the season, they defeated traditional powerhouses such as Oberlin, Wittenberg, and Wooster. As a fitting conclusion to her lacrosse career, senior Ginny McGee was named to the Midwest All-Star team for the fourth straight year.
In 1977, Durentini left for a one-year leave of absence to begin work toward a doctorate, and former men's lacrosse coach Mickey Cochrane took the reins as interim coach. Cochrane's approach paid off as the Falcon laxers again had a winning (5-4-2) season. In the fall of 1978, Coach D returned to BG and resumed coaching both field hockey and lacrosse. The 1979 laxers went 9-2-1, outscoring their opponents 149-84.
In 1981, Durentini relinquished her coaching duties in order to devote herself full-time to teaching in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. She had coached the varsity lacrosse team for 10 of its 11 seasons. During those years, which included one year under the guidance of Mickey Cochrane, eight Falcons were selected for the Midwest I or II teams that played in the USWLA National Tournament: Patti Follansbee (1972, 1973, 1974), Ginny McGee (1974, 1975, 1976), Denise Nearhoof (1975), Debi Delaney (1975), Tina Bryant (1977), Cindy McDonald (1977), Julie Lewis (1979), and Mary George (1979).
Also in 1981, the Athletics Committee recommended continuing women's lacrosse for the next year. In a July 14 memo, however, Athletics Director Jim Lessig informed the committee that Interim President Michael Ferrari had declined to approve a search for a new coach. Ferrari had based his decision on the University's precarious financial condition and outlook. Consequently, women's lacrosse was discontinued as a varsity sport.
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