Donna Lopiano facts for kids

Donna Lopiano was born on September 11, 1946. She is a very important person in the world of sports, especially for women and girls. Donna started a company called Sports Management Resources. This company helps schools and colleges make their sports programs better. Before that, she led the Women's Sports Foundation from 1992 to 2007. There, she worked hard to make sure sports teams followed Title IX rules. Title IX helps make sure girls and boys have equal chances in sports.

Growing Up and School

Donna Lopiano was born in Stamford, Connecticut, on September 11, 1946. Her parents, Thomas and Josephine, came from Italy. As a child, Donna loved playing baseball. She even got a baseball glove as a special gift.

She was chosen first in her town's Little League draft. But she was not allowed to play because the rules said girls could not join. This showed her early on that girls faced unfair rules in sports.

Donna went to Southern Connecticut State University. She earned a degree in Physical Education. Later, she got her doctorate from the University of Southern California.

Sports Career

When Donna was 16, she got a chance to play for the Connecticut Brakettes. This was a national championship women's softball team. She played with the Brakettes for ten years. During this time, she traveled to Europe and Asia.

She had an amazing record of 183 wins and only 18 losses. She also struck out 1633 batters. Donna was one of the best players on the team. She was among the top ten in hits, runs, and home runs.

Throughout her sports career, Donna played in 26 national championships. She played four different sports. She was also named an All-American nine times in softball. She played four different positions.

Working in Sports Leadership

After her time as an athlete, Donna became an assistant athletic director at Brooklyn College. She also coached basketball, volleyball, and softball there.

In 1975, she made history. She became the first Director of Women's Athletics at the University of Texas. She stayed at the university for seventeen years.

Early in her time there, she spoke out against a change to Title IX. This change would have allowed some sports, like football, to ignore Title IX rules. Many people at the University of Texas supported this change. But Donna believed in equal opportunities for all athletes.

Awards and Special Recognition

Donna Lopiano has won many awards for her work in sports. She is a six-time National Champion. She was also a nine-time All-American and a three-time ASA Softball MVP.

She is a member of thirteen different halls of fame. These include the National Sports Hall of Fame and the National Softball Hall of Fame. She is also in the Texas Women's Hall of Fame.

Fox Sports named her one of "The 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports." The Sporting News also listed her as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in Sports."

Donna also shares her knowledge by writing. She has published articles in many sports magazines and journals. She also wrote her own book, Athletic Director’s Desk Reference. This book helps sports leaders with tips and planning tools.