Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week." Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as "Women’s History Week." In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month." Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”Living Your Best Life Radio with Genma Holmes celebrates the strength, courage, and boldness of women who embrace life to the fullest and have not let others "no" determine their destiny in life. Join us to hear the from women who are seasoned with success and who believe in mentoring other women to become trailblazers as they empower, inspire, and motivate us to live our BEST life.
Commissioner DeBauche will discuss her path trajectory from being a divorce attorney to her leading the Ohio Valley Conference. Hear her share her strong beliefs in mentoring relationships and the role mentors have played in life. Commissioner DeBauche will give listeners an insiders' view of working with twelve universities and with over 4,000 college athletes and how the OVC is helping students prepare for success beyond the OVC. She will also share the exciting events planned for the 2014 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Final Four, the economical impact to the Nashville area, and how important volunteers will be at the 2014 Women's Final Four.
You will not want to miss this show. Two amazing women, Cronan and DeBauche, sharing their passion for the highest women’s collegiate sporting event in the country.
Tune into 760AM in the Middle Tennessee Region, on Tune In, streaming live online at UStream.TV, and on military bases on Saturdays from 9:00-10:00am CST.
More About UT's Joan Cronan
Joan Cronan has been a leader in collegiate athletics for almost
four decades. She has served as the Director of Athletics at the
University of Tennessee since 1983 and has developed the Lady
Volunteers into one of the most positive and recognizable brands in
intercollegiate athletics.
Cronan severed on the 2010 NCAA Division I Leadership Council and previously was selected by her peers as the president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of athletics (NACDA) in 2008-09 and president of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) in 2007-08. Additionally, Cronan has served on the NCAA’s Executive Committee, Management Council, as well as the NCAA’s Council, and is a member of the NCAA Championship Cabinet. She also has been a member of the Southeastern Conference Executive Committee.
Cronan makes her home in Knoxville and is the mother of Kristi (Mrs. Rhett Benner) and Stacey (Mrs. Kent Bristow), both 1994 graduates of UT. She is the proud grandmother to three grandsons, Chase and Reed Bristow, and Quinn Benner; and two granddaughters, Reese Lauren Benner and Larkin Ann Bristow. She lost her husband Tom, in August 2006, after his valiant battle with pancreatic cancer.
Cronan severed on the 2010 NCAA Division I Leadership Council and previously was selected by her peers as the president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of athletics (NACDA) in 2008-09 and president of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) in 2007-08. Additionally, Cronan has served on the NCAA’s Executive Committee, Management Council, as well as the NCAA’s Council, and is a member of the NCAA Championship Cabinet. She also has been a member of the Southeastern Conference Executive Committee.
Cronan makes her home in Knoxville and is the mother of Kristi (Mrs. Rhett Benner) and Stacey (Mrs. Kent Bristow), both 1994 graduates of UT. She is the proud grandmother to three grandsons, Chase and Reed Bristow, and Quinn Benner; and two granddaughters, Reese Lauren Benner and Larkin Ann Bristow. She lost her husband Tom, in August 2006, after his valiant battle with pancreatic cancer.
More About Commissioner Beth DeBauche
DeBauche is the seventh full-time Commissioner in the 63-year history of the OVC. DeBauche is one of just eight females to be the head of a Division I Conference in 2013-14.
DeBauche will serve as the Chair of the Nashville Local Organizing Committee (NLOC) for the 2014 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Final Four. The Ohio Valley Conference will serve as the host institution of the event which will be held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on April 6 and 8.
Under DeBauche, the league started an extensive strategic planning and branding initiative which led to the development of the league’s first tagline of “Inspiring Excellence Since 1948.” The project also produced the league’s first 30-second PSA commercial in over a decade as well as a longer feature video highlighting the Conference.
In her four years with the league, the OVC has seen postseason success men’s basketball as Murray State topped Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2010, Morehead State beat Louisville in the second round in 2011 and Murray State bested Colorado State in the second round in 2012. Overall the league has won NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games in four of the past five years, including four-straight years (2009-12) for the first-time in league history.
In 2012-13 DeBauche helped spearhead a year-long celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Title IX. As part of the celebration, each of the OVC's 12-member institutions identified a pioneer in women's athletics and gender equality from their school to be honored during the year and celebrated at a home athletic event on their campus. The celebration was capped in May when those honorees were recognized at a special luncheon as part of the OVC Spring Meetings.
DeBauche currently serves on the NCAA Committee on Athletic Certification, the NCAA Division I Leadership Council and the NCAA Rules Working Group.
More About the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Final Four
From April 6 – 8, 2014, in partnership with the Ohio Valley Conference, the Nashville Sports Council and the city of Nashville will be hosting the NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four.
The NCAA Women’s Final Four is the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, which runs for three weeks in March and April. The main attraction will be the three basketball games played over two days at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, including the two National Semifinals on Sunday, April 6 and the National Championship game on Tuesday, April 8, 2014.
The Final Four® weekend experience is “More Than Just Three Games®.” Throughout the week of the Championship, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Convention, community engagement and legacy programs give the event its exciting pulse. It is a time for everyone to celebrate and experience women’s college basketball at the highest level.
If you would like to receive information and updates from the NCAA, sign up to receive email newsletters.
Photo credits: Genma Holmes, OVC, UT Knoxville
