MPSSAA Title IX at 50 Content
Edition III - MPSSAA Historical Sport Records and Moments
“No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Title IX of the Civil Rights Act was signed into law by President Nixon on June 23rd, 1972. As we embark on the 50th year anniversary, the MPSSAA would like to recognize the history and the contributions of those who have and continue to advocate for female student-athletes.
The MPSSAA is forever indebted to these individuals, pioneers, trailblazers, and moments of magnitude that stretch into Maryland’s history, long before Title IX was enacted. Leading up to the 50th Anniversary, the MPSSAA will be posting numerous artifacts and stories on the contributions and legacy of Marylanders who have paved the way for increased participation.
The third edition in a series of Title IX information will look at the stories, history, artifacts through the MPSSAA Championship records and history.
Check out some of the highlights from MPSSAA records on significant local school system achievements over the last 50 years.
Girls’ Cross Country
- Beth Jacobson of Kennedy becoming the first three-time cross country champion from 1982-1984.
- Adrian Unger of Brunswick becoming the first four-time cross country champion from 1991 – 1994.
- Maria Coffin setting the all-time girls state cross country championship 3.0 mile course mark at Hereford in the state finals with a time of 17:49.40 in 2016.
Girls’ Field Hockey
- Future Longtime Bel Air Athletic Director and Field Hockey Committee Chair Phyllis Hemmes coaching the winning Bel Air Field Hockey Class AA state champion in 1977 by a score of 1-0.
- Lillian Shlelton coaching her first of 20 field hockey state championship teams at Serverna Park in 1979. Her last came in 2011.
- Bethesda Chevy Chase’s run of nine consecutive field hockey titles between 1994-2002 (also won in 1992 and 2004).
- Pocomoke’s run of eight consecutive field hockey titles between 2003-2010. Coach Susan Pusey led Pocomoke to 16 of the school’s 19 titles.
Girls’ Golf
- Sandy Persinger of Dundalk becoming the first female golf state champion in 1982, shooting 1 164 over 36 holes.
- Caroline Sweet from Eleanor Roosevelt in 2007, scoring a 140 over 36 holes to score the lowest score between all male and female golfers.
- Bryana Nguyen in 2013 shoots a 134 over 36 holes…setting the lowest score for the tournament and all-time lowest female score for 36 holes.
Girls’ Soccer
- Sparrow’s Point six consecutive girl soccer championships from 2013-2018.
- Quince Orchard and Urbana winning on penalty kicks in 2007 with the new tie-breaker procedures. 10 championship games have been decided by penalty kicks.
Girls’ Volleyball
- Elisa Davidson and Glenelg’s championship performance in 1995 before rally scoring, recording 14 kills to win the state title.
- Williamsport with 24 state appearances and 16 state championships, followed closely by Centennial and Smithsburg with 14 each.
Girls’ Basketball
- Tammy Joy in 1986 scoring 49 points in the Class C state semifinal game for Catoctin.
- Janet Flora in 1976 tallying 48 points in the Class A State Final, leading coach Nancy Kidd’s team to a 73-68 state final victory.
- Arundel’s Alexandra McGuire going 18-for-18 from the free throw line in 2004.
Girls’ Indoor Track
- Surrattsville’s Tishonna Watson’s 1990 7.73 55m high hurdle meet record still standing today.
- Christy Nichols from Annapolis high school set a 10:30.70 two mile in 1996. Her record still stands by nearly 15 full seconds over second place.
- Coaches Kacie Owens (Severna Park) and Brooke Reinsfelder (Urbana) claiming the first state girls swimming and diving team championship in 2007.
- Hannah Lindsey of Winston Churchill in 2007 set state records in the 200 yard freestyle and 100 yard backstroke.
Girls’ Wrestling
- Helen Maroulis, the first US Olympic Gold Champion in women’s wrestling and former Magruder High School wrestler, gets elected into the Maryland State Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.
- MPSSAA adds Girl’s Wrestling as a state championship division for the state wrestling tournament. The following are the inaugural female champions.
- 100lb - Jasmine Gong (Wootton)
- 106 lb - Krista Kappes (Bowie)
- 112 lb - Nina Small (Fairmont Heights)
- 117 lb - Jen Hood (Smithsburg)
- 122 lb - Nadia Estrada (Richard Montgomery)
- 127 lb - Stephanie Solloso (Walt Whitman)
- 132 lb - Sarah Sunday (Dulaney)
- 138 lb - Kalin Bower (Middletown)
- 144 lb - Jackalyn Heath (Montgomery Blair)
- 152 lb - Seda Tsami (Watkins Mill)
- 164 lb - Jaylen Hyman (Randallstown)
- 180 lb - Mame Thiam (Western STES)
- 220 lb - Arrey Mbutambe (Eleanor Roosevelt)
- 225 lb - Jocelyn Cacek (Great Mills)
- Sarah Sunday returned in 2022 to become a two-time state champion.
Girls’ Lacrosse
- Mount Hebron’s 11 consecutive state girls lacrosse championships from 1997-2007.
- Kaitlin Schwarzmann of Century in 2009 scores nine goals enroute to the state title.
- Amanda Church of Sothern-AA in 2004, making a championship record 18 saves.
- Courtney Vaughn’s Winters Mill team in 2008 and Shelley Brezicki’s Manchester Valley team in 2014 hung banners in their school’s inaugural year with championship victories.
Girls’ Softball
- Kaityln Schmeiser of Northern-Cal records six state tournament shutouts from 2008-2011.
- Six state tournament perfect games by Jenny Parsons (Glen Burnie), Jenny Joyce (Mt. Hebron), Kelly Shipman (Norther-Cal.), Candice Rice (Northern-Cal.), Clarissa Crowell (McDonough), and Stephanie Speierman (Hammond).
- Megan Elliott of Calvert recording 88 career wins from 2003-2006. 12 of those games were Perfect Games, 32 no-hitters, and 76 shutouts.
- Stephanie Speierman of Hammond recorded 1,361 career strikeouts between 2006-2009.
- Northern-Cal 8 consecutive championships between 2008-2015.
Girls’ Tennis
- Ann Beasley of Bethesda-CC wins the first girls singles championships and Caryn Shave and Cathy Tyler of JM Bennett claim the first girls doubles title in 1975.
- Jeri Ingram of Springbrook becomes a four-time girls' single state champion from 1985-1988.
- From 2006 – 2009, Tiffany Lin of Walter Johnson wins the girls doubles title four consecutive years with three different partners (Lauren Wolman, Maraya Pratt, Alysia Rogers).
Girls’ Track and Field
- In 1982, Oakland Mills’ Donna Neale ran a 2:11.00 800m, holding onto the all-time mark to date. Six other 800m competitors have come in sub 2:12.00, but have yet to break the 40-year record.
- In 2008, the Eleanor Roosevelt 4x800 relay team ran an 8:43.12 at the Penn Relays, setting an NFHS national record. Dominique Lochhart, Amirah Johnson, Brittany Ogunomokun, and Tasha Stanley composed of the relay team.
The MPSSAA will publish more stories, history, artifacts as the MPSSAA celebrates Title IX at 50, including honoring our local school system heroes and contributors.