Carroll Women's Basketball: A Historic Season 50 Years in the Making

As the 2023-24 Carroll University Women’s Basketball team kept setting school records, they fueled unmatched excitement and passion throughout the campus and the community. Though the season ended abruptly on their home court inside the Van Male Field House in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the squad’s impact had already been felt by countless Carroll students, supporters and alumni.

But like most accomplishments, people and events helped create the opportunity for this year’s team to write its own story. Sports teach valuable life lessons for athletes, coaches and even fans, while also bringing joy, entertainment and a sense of belonging to everyone involved. The effects of athletics are nearly limitless.

Many studies show successful collegiate sports programs create additional benefits for the universities they represent through added revenue, exposure, awareness and enrollment. But for decades, the focus on athletics at this level heavily featured men’s sports. That limited how much women’s sports could be promoted in their schools as they were left fighting for their place on courts and fields.

Then in 1972, the tide changed and sent women’s athletics flying into the future. The creation of Title IX boosted the potential for female athletes to thrive. Carroll University Athletics Hall of Fame member, Amy (Vanden Langenberg) Wick ’86, witnessed the impact of Title IX firsthand as her basketball squads of the early-to-mid 1980s attained unprecedented prosperity.

“The passage of Title IX was absolutely huge for women’s sports as we had so little,” said Wick. “Women faced discrimination, racism, homophobia, prejudice and ridicule. This gave women a chance to demand more resources and opportunities.”

Of course, Title IX was not only about athletics. Its influence encompasses all aspects of education by demanding gender equality across educational programs and activities, including academic opportunities, financial aid and admissions processes. Without these areas being a part of the law, female athletes would have continued to face greater struggles than their male counterparts. Instead, women have surpassed men in attending college (56% female) and earning degrees.

Even still, Wick acknowledges there were still enormous challenges for her and her teammates in the 80s, as new mandates take time to fully infiltrate historical precedents on top of navigating the life of a student-athlete.

“You are trying to balance your life as a student, as well as an athlete. I was worried about the financial commitment of attending Carroll and being accomplished in academics and athletics,” Wick added.

But the prevalence of Title IX helped to give Wick and all female athletes a voice and a place at the table to speak up for what they wanted and needed to raise their games – on and off the court – to the next level.

“When I arrived at Carroll in the spring of 1982, we were still a little bit in the dark ages,” Wick reminisced. “There were these awful uniforms from the 70s, budgets were lacking, facilities needed improvements and the men were provided with equipment that women didn’t get to use.”

If that didn’t motivate the Pioneer women to take action, another key decision from the previous year helped spur their efforts. In 1981, the NCAA approved a plan to include women’s athletics within its overall structure, giving female athletes another level of support. But changes on Carroll’s campus needed further action, so Wick and her teammates put on a full-court press by meeting with Carroll's administration, faculty and staff, and the local media.

“We pushed. We questioned. We dreamed. We pounded the table for something better,” said Wick. “We created our own sports information process and media releases, and we recruited amazing women.”

That fire to improve their athletic experience at Carroll was the driving force behind the women’s basketball teams of that time, as they remain among the most accomplished squads in school history. From 1984 to 1986, the Pioneer women’s hoops team posted three consecutive 20+ win seasons, earned three straight NCAA Tournament berths, won a conference championship and hosted first and second-round NCAA Tournament games for the first time in Carroll history.

“We were very fortunate to build a winning culture and therefore had great support from the faculty and students,” Wick said. “It was so much fun to be a part of this special time!”

Wick saw many parallels between her team and the 2023-24 group which made the women’s basketball team’s run extra special for her. This season’s group captured everyone’s attention and certainly made their mark in Carroll's history.

• A program-record 23 wins

• Ranked 13th in the country in NCAA DIII, the highest ranking in program history

• Had a program-best seven consecutive weeks ranked in the top 25

• The first time the program won the regular season CCIW conference title and the conference tournament championship in the same season

Wick, and her husband, Bill ’70, have always been avid supporters of Carroll athletics. They soaked up everything they could this season, attending several regular season games, being on campus for the televised NCAA selection show and snagging front-row seats for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, which Carroll also hosted for the first time since Wick’s team did it in 1984.

“We are so very proud of this team. The atmosphere for the NCAA Tournament game was electric! The students came out in waves, and I loved how much support this team received. The future is bright!”

Who knows what the present or future would have looked like without the historical passing of Title IX more than half a century ago. It has allowed women’s athletics to play a significant role in pushing universities like Carroll forward. Success on the court or field can lead to many ancillary positives across a campus.

“This administration has had a greater focus on athletics. President (Cindy) Gnadinger has been an amazing leader with a vision to promote and enhance athletics,” Wick added. “The renovations on the horizon for the Van Male Field House are very exciting, much needed and will benefit all students and the community.”

People love a winner, and Wick is hoping this is just the beginning. While Title IX was not solely designed with athletics in mind, it has allowed women’s sports to make an invaluable impact across universities nationwide.

“It’s been inspiring to see the long-term effects and incredible strides in women’s athletics. A winning team raises the profile of a school, and in the end, success breeds success in all aspects of the university!”