2003

Dr. Elaine Dreidame

Elaine Dreidame served the University of Dayton from 1970 until her retirement in 1999. Dreidame became the University’s first full-time female athletics administrator when she was named Associate Director of Athletics in 1974. In 1989, Dreidame’s duties expanded to include men’s and women’s teams when she accepted the title of Senior Associate Director of Athletics.

Dreidame was inducted in the University of Dayton Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994. Currently, she serves as a Peer Reviewer for the NCAA and is a Guardian Ad Litem for Sumter County, FL. She also is in her second year as Chair for the Villagers for Hospice Golf Scramble.

Dr. Janice Shelton

Dr. Janice Shelton was first named Assistant Athletic Director in 1974 at East Tennessee State Universityand continued there until her retirement in 1995.

In 1990, Shelton was named Athletics Director at East Tennessee State University, becoming the first female selected to the position at the school. At her hiring she was one of only six female Athletic Directors at NCAA Division I institutions in the country.

Shelton has held numerous titles, and has served on several boards and committees in an effort to support and advance women’s athletics. She was a member of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee for six years and served as chair to the Southern Conference for two years.

Elizabeth Murphey

Elizabeth Murphey retired as the Associate Athletics Director at the University of Georgia after dedicating 29 years to the institution.

Under her leadership, the University of Georgia won eight of the 14 SEC women’s all-sports awards, which was presented annually to the outstanding program in the conference.

Murphey was named “Sports Administrator of the Year” in 1987 by the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and National Coach of the Year by the Women’s Golf Coaches Hall of Fame.

Before her tenure at the University of Georgia, Murphey spent a decade teaching and coaching seven sports at Lynchburg College in Virginia.

Ellen Perry

Ellen Perry retired from Pennsylvania State University in 2002 after a distinguished career spanning almost 40 years in teaching, coaching and athletics administration.

Perry was a member of the Nittany Lions’ athletic staff since 1966; she served as Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator from 1989 until 2002. She had management oversight responsibilities over Penn State’s 14 women’s sports as well as Student-Athletes Services for the approximately 800 Nittany and Lady Lion student-athletes.

Perry is a past president of the Eastern Association for Physical Education of College Women and has previous experience as a member of the US Olympic Committee for Swimming. Perry was named the recipient of the 1995 Administrator of the Year award presented by the WBCA.

Jenepher P. Shillingford

Jenepher Shillingford retired from the position of Director of Athletics and Physical Education for Bryn Mawr College in 1999, a position she held for 19 years.

Prior to becoming Director Of Athletics, Shillingford coached four sports (tennis, basketball, field hockey and lacrosse) in four years. Collectively, she served both academia and athletics for nearly 50 years as a teacher, coach, commentator, official and athletics administrator.

Shillingford served as the Snell Professor of Health and Physical Education for her alma mater, Ursinus College, until 2002. Shillingford received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Ursinus College, the NACWAA Administrator of the Year Award, the Heritage Award from PHPERD, the Pathfinder Award from PA AAHPERD and has been name to the SE Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

Jessie Brown

Jessie Anderson Brown entered Fort Valley State University after completing an outstanding prep career in Dublin, Georgia, at Millville High School. While at Fort Valley, Brown was named “Most Athletic Woman” and “Most Versatile Woman” by her peers and instructors.

After graduating in 1968, Brown worked in the public school system in the Middle Georgia area, where she gained a reputation for being an outstanding educator.

In 1973, Brown took over the women’s basketball program at Fort Valley State University. She took numerous teams to the then GAUAW tournament, placing well and qualifying for the National Tournament. In 1979, Brown led the team to the SIAC regular season championship, another berth in the GAIAW tournament and was named “Coach of the Year” by the SIAC. In 1982, Fort Valley’s first season competing in the NCAA on the Division II level, Brown’s team qualified for the National Tournament.