Study finds link between job satisfaction, Title IX compliance

Young women planning a career in coaching might find more happiness -- and more Title IX compliance -- in Division II or III, rather than in Division I, say researchers at Texas A&M University, College Station.

Mike Sagas and Paul Batista, researchers in the department of health and kinesiology at the school, reported that their study shows that women who coach at Division I universities don't believe their schools comply as much with Title IX regulations as smaller schools do. Division I coaches also report a much lower job satisfaction rate.

Sagas and Batista polled 273 coaches at Divisions I, II and III institutions. The researchers asked coaches if they believed their school was in compliance with Title IX as it relates to the equivalence of athletics benefits and opportunities. Among the needs addressed were areas such as equipment and supplies, scheduling of games and practice times, travel and per diem allowances, academic tutoring, locker room facilities, support services and publicity efforts.

"The findings show that Division I coaches report less compliance than Division II or III coaches, and that translates into less job satisfaction. In other words, a typical woman Division III coach is probably going to be happier in her job than a Division I coach," Sagas said.

"The No. 1 area that they feel slighted is in coaches, such as salaries and support help. That's followed by recruiting, receiving adequate sports publicity, locker room needs, the availability of tutors and travel expenses."

The study also shows that for women coaches, compliance with Title IX accounts for at least 50 percent of their overall job satisfaction rate. If the coach believes a program is not in compliance, job satisfaction plummets.

"Women still don't believe they are being treated fairly as required by Title IX, and those feelings are the strongest at Division I schools," Sagas said. "It means a woman coach at a Division III school is probably happier and will stay in coaching longer than a coach at a Division I school.

"So the obvious questions are: Does Title IX shape turnover intent? Is a coach more likely to leave the profession if she feels like her school doesn't follow all of the Title IX guidelines? The answer might be yes."

Omaha feels like 'home' for challenger

His team didn't make it to the Men's College World Series, but that didn't keep Ryan Brunner from pounding homers into the stands at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.

Brunner, a senior at the University of Northern Iowa, hit 10 homers in the final round to defeat Kevin Mitchell of McNeese State University in the Rawlings Home Run Challenge June 7 in conjunction with opening ceremonies for the CWS. The 12th-round pick of the Boston Red Sox, Brunner was one of nine student-athletes who participated.

"I don't even know what to say. It was awesome," Brunner said. "Being out there with all these guys is what college baseball is all about."

Fire prompts acts of kindness from rivals

On April 22, the Longwood College women's lacrosse team defeated Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, 16-8. Less than a week later, the Shippensburg team was trying to lift the Lancers' spirits.

No one was killed or seriously injured, as the fire started in buildings that were under renovation and students were evacuated from adjacent dormitories before the fire reached them. Many of the students' belongings were destroyed by fire, smoke or water, as were many faculty offices.

The athletics banquet, which was scheduled for the night after the fire, had to be canceled. The women's lacrosse game with Gannon University, held at Shippensburg, was played only three days after the fire.

"After a chaotic and emotional week of adjusting, trying to find cleats, sticks and game uniforms for the players who were housed in the damaged dorms, we arrived at Ship," said Longwood women's lacrosse coach Janet Grubbs.

"As we got off the vans, the entire Shippensburg team came over with care packages for each Longwood team member. The packages contained items such as picture frames, toothpaste, hand-written notes and, of course, comfort food like M&Ms," Grubbs said.

"The Springfield athletics director also had sent over a box of T-shirts for our team. It was an incredible display of the kind of spirit that can happen in a crisis and that happens continually on the lacrosse field."

-- Compiled by Kay Hawes

Number crunching

Most total team titles in NCAA championships history:

Division I/Nat. Coll. men

Southern California -- 70

UCLA -- 66

Stanford -- 53

Division II men

Cal St. Bakersfield -- 23

Cal Poly* -- 20

Fla. Southern -- 20

Abilene Christian -- 20

*Now a Division I institution.

Division III men

Kenyon -- 22

North Central -- 17

Wis.-La Crosse -- 17

Division I/Nat. Coll. women

Stanford -- 26

North Carolina -- 21

Texas -- 20

UCLA -- 20

Division II women

Abilene Christian -- 21

Cal Poly* -- 16

Cal St. Northridge* -- 12

*Now a Division I institution.

Division III women

Col. of New Jersey -- 29

Kenyon -- 20

UC San Diego* -- 16

*Now a Division II institution.

Most total individual titles in NCAA championships history:

Division I Nat. Coll. men

Southern California -- 280

Michigan -- 230

Stanford -- 221

Division II men

Cal St. Bakersfield -- 135

Abilene Christian -- 122

Oakland* -- 109

*Now a Division I institution.

Division III men

Kenyon -- 182

Lincoln (Pa.) -- 78

UC San Diego* -- 50

Wis.-La Crosse -- 50

*Now a Division II institution.

Division I Nat. Coll. women

Stanford -- 138

Texas -- 121

Florida -- 108

Division II women

Abilene Christian -- 106

Cal St. Northridge* -- 62

St. Augustine's -- 51

*Now a Division I institution.

Division III women

Kenyon -- 183

Williams -- 62

Chris. Newport -- 55

Looking back

Statistically speaking

A look back at statistical leaders in Division I baseball and softball in 1997 and 1995:

1997 Baseball

Home runs

Lance Berkman, Rice -- 41

Brandon Larson, LSU -- 40

Troy Glaus, UCLA -- 34

Runs batted in

Lance Berkman, Rice -- 134

Brandon Larson, LSU -- 118

Jeremy Morris, Florida St. -- 116

Earned-run average

Sonny Garcia, Texas Southern -- 1.77

Randy Wolf, Pepperdine -- 1.79

Andy Smith, Bowling Green -- 1.85

Strikeouts (avg.)

Tod Lee, Georgia Southern -- 13.85

Jason Grilli, Seton Hall -- 13.83

Barry Zito, UC Santa Barb. -- 13.0

1997 Softball

Home runs

Leah Braatz-Cochrane, Arizona -- 21

Stacy Nuveman, UCLA -- 20

Shannon Tanski, Liberty -- 17

Casey Dickson, Oklahoma -- 17

Runs batted in

Leah Braatz-Cochrane, Arizona -- 78

Stacy Nuveman, UCLA -- 71

Kim Martinez, Texas Tech -- 70

Earned-run average

Trinity Johnson, South Carolina -- 0.38

Sarah Dawson, La.-Monroe -- 0.52

Nikki Beers, South Carolina -- 0.56

Amy Kyler, Cleveland St. -- 0.56

Strikeouts (avg.)

Trinity Johnson, South Carolina -- 11.5

Amy Kyler, Cleveland St. -- 10.8

Mary Dietz, Boston College -- 10.1

1995 Baseball

Home runs

Steve Hacker, Southwest Mo. St. -- 37

Tal Light, Oklahoma St. -- 26

Runs batted in

Tal Light, Oklahoma St. -- 104

Steve Hacker, Southwest Mo. St. -- 95

Clint Bryant, Texas Tech -- 93

Earned-run average

Joseph Burns, Florida Int'l -- 1.20

Curt Schnur, Delaware -- 1.21

Jay Tessmer, Miami (Fla.) -- 1.31

Strikeouts (avg.)

Jay O'Shaughnessy, Northeastern -- 13.5

Matt Seely, Murray St. -- 12.3

Scott Downs, Kentucky -- 12.0

1995 Softball

Home runs

Laura Espinoza, Arizona -- 37

Jenny Dalton, Arizona -- 28

Leah Braatz, Arizona -- 21

Runs batted in

Laura Espinoza, Arizona -- 128

Jenny Dalton, Arizona -- 98

Ali Viola, Nebraska -- 72

Earned-run average

Terri Kobata, Notre Dame -- 0.51

Sue Bugliarello, Cal St. Sacramento -- 0.59

Amy Orr, Nicholls St. -- 0.60

Strikeouts (avg.)

Michelle Collins, Virginia -- 10.5

Trinity Johnson, South Carolina -- 10.2

Terri Kobata, Notre Dame -- 9.