"Gender equity consistently has been moving forward at UC Davis, and Title IX is part of it," recognizes longtime Aggie women's water polo coach Jamey Wright.
 
"I'm thankful for Title IX. Had that not come along, there are a lot of things in our society that would not have progressed as quickly as they have."
 
Title IX, of course, is the watershed edict (passed in 1972) that promises, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in  … or be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
 
As we have seen in previous installments in the "UC Davis Celebrates 50 Years of Title IX" series, the Aggies didn't have to wait around for a federal declaration before "doing the right thing" as it relates to women in the classroom and on the campus' fields and courts.
 
Sporting 16 women's varsity teams with almost 350 participants, UC Davis has always been among the nation's most progressive campuses.
 
Over the years — since adding seven women's programs in the early 1970s — Davis has upped the ante for its female student-athletes at almost every turn.
 
Today approximately 60 percent of the student body is female. "As far as the total of women's sport programs, we continue to be leaders in that area," DeLuca explains. "The addition of beach volleyball and equestrian demonstrates our commitment to providing opportunities and focusing on programs that can elevate the experience of our student experience.
 
Additionally, attention to detail regarding facilities has been a hallmark of Aggie thinking.
 
To wit, a student referendum 25 years ago provided a fee increase to make the University Credit Union Center, Schaal Aquatics Center and the UC Davis Health Stadium multi-use facility realities.


Able to have 16 intercollegiate women's programs available (alongside myriad club teams), the Athletic Department should take a bow for its ability to tap alumni and corporate support for the facilities that have given UC Davis some of the most functional venues on the West Coast.
 
Along the way, private donations have helped build a field hockey facility, made possible recent improvements to the softball's La Rue Field and created beach volleyball courts for one of the university's most recent women's sports additions.
 
Soon, UC Davis will unveil the Edwards Family Athletic Center, a $52 million project primed by a donation from former Aggie Bruce Edwards and over 40 families to date.
 
Complete with 55,000 square feet of office space, sports medicine facilities, training areas, classrooms and a practice field separate from UC Davis Health Stadium, the Edwards Family Athletic Center is expected to be a game-changer for the Athletic Department.
 
The facility promises to improve staff communication, student-athlete convenience, standard of education and recruitment of new students to UC Davis. The Edwards Family Athletics Center will stand out in California.
 
"It's a facility that impacts all 25 programs," notes UC Davis Athletics Director Rocko DeLuca. "Our goal is to be one of the leading departments in the Big West Conference and compete for and win the Commissioner's Cup. The Edwards Family Athletics Center will provide our coaches and student-athletes the opportunity to work, train, and learn in one of the top facilities of its kind on the west coast."
 
The Edwards project is a huge step forward in that regard.
 
Back to Wright …
 
The USA Water Polo Hall of Fame mentor took over the UC Davis women's program in 1983 after a storied career as an Aggie water polo standout himself.
 
Wright has seen UC Davis water polo transition from club status — sharing a crowded Hickey Gym Pool venue more than 30 years ago — to Division II status and on to Division I in one of Northern California's premier facilities, Schaal Aquatics Center.
 
As Wright looks out from his office at Schaal, he sees the 65-meter practice and competition pool, the auditorium-style water polo pool and the auxiliary offices and locker rooms.
 
He says here sits a community asset, as Schaal serves not only the Aggies' needs, but often is home to myriad community organizations and camps. It's all thanks to staff vision, Rand Schaal and his folks and families with names like Olson-Hodgens and Raycraft.
 
"People at Davis have known for a long time what's fair," Wright explains, pointing out that proper facilities for both men and women "is very fair."
 
Next up: We take a look at UC Davis' newest women's sports — equestrian and beach volleyball.