50 years of Title IX: Meet 50 of the women who have impacted sports in the Springfield area

Thirty-five words written as part of a landmark U.S. law forever changed the sporting world and, more specifically, southwest Missouri female athletes.

"No person in the United States shall, based on sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

In honor of the 50th anniversary of President Richard Nixon signing Title IX of the Civil Rights Act into law on June 23, 1972, the Springfield News-Leader compiled a list of 50 of the greatest and most influential female athletes, coaches and administrators to come through southwest Missouri.

Many names left off the list made their impact as well and more continue to have their influence each and every day. Note the following is not a ranking and is in alphabetical order.

Athletes

Jenna Armstrong, Stockton basketball

Leading a Stockton team decimated by injury, Armstrong put the team on her back and led it to its first state championship in 2001. She averaged 23.7 points for the season and 30 in the state championship game.

With her dad as head coach, Armstrong scored Stockton's first 17 points in the game while defeating Cape Girardeau Notre Dame for the program's first state title. She went on to play at Iowa while the Stockton program won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004.

Rhonda Blades, Parkview basketball

Blades is considered one of the great point guards to ever come through southwest Missouri and she eventually found herself playing in the WNBA.

The Parkview grad scored 1,659 career points over her career and led the Vikings to a district championship during her senior year before becoming one of the best guards in the SEC at Vanderbilt.

At Vanderbilt, she was an Honorable Mention All-American her senior year and was drafted No. 1 overall in the expansion round of the 1998 WNBA Draft. She had a two-year career with stops in New York and Detroit.

Brice Calip, Missouri State basketball

The winningest Lady Bear of all time, Calip was the leader of the most recent great wave in the history of the proud MSU women's basketball program.

Calip led the Lady Bears to three NCAA Tournament appearances with two ending in the Sweet 16. She was the 2021 Jackie Stiles Player of the Year and a two-time Missouri Valley Conference defensive player of the year with three First Team All-MVC nods.

More: Why Brice Calip, the winningest Missouri State Lady Bear ever, was all smiles after her final loss

Tonya Choate, Mount Vernon & Drury golf

After a standout career on the links for Mount Vernon, Choate turned into an All-American during her career at Drury.

Choate was a state medalist her senior year in Mount Vernon while also winning district titles as a junior and senior. She was one of two girls in the United States to participate in the Bogey Golfer International program that toured Europe.

She then played for Drury from 2005-07 and became a three-time All-American, three-time conference champion and the 2006 Player of the Year. After finishing her career at UNLV, she joined the Ladies European Tour in 2010.

Carly Deer, Missouri State basketball

One of the most recognizable Lady Bears of all time, Deer was a three-year starter for the program which included a Final Four appearance her senior year in 2001.

Deer was the 2001 MVC Defensive Player of the Year and she scored 705 points and grabbed 619 rebounds over her career. She was the first Lady Bear to record a triple-double in program history and contributed to four NCAA Tournament teams.

Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury basketball

Perhaps the greatest Drury women's basketball player of all time, Diestelkamp made her impact for the Lady Panthers from 2016-20.

Diestelkamp was a two-time NCAA Division II Player of the Year while finishing her Drury career with a 128-8 record and jersey retired in the rafters. Her career ended with her atop the Drury all-time scoring and rebounding lists.

Drury went 32-0 in her final season which was cut short by the beginning of the pandemic. The year before, Diestelkamp led the Lady Panthers to a 35-1 record with the lone loss coming in the NCAA Tournament semifinals.

Ashlyn Eli, Nixa wrestling

It would be difficult to find an individual athlete who has been more dominant in the area in recent years than Nixa wrestler Ashlyn Eli.

Eli recently finished her high school career with a 142-3 overall record which included going 82-0 between her junior and senior years. She wrapped up her third state championship in February in just the third year of girls' wrestling being made an official MSHSAA sport.

Eli set the tone for the sport for young girls across the Ozarks. Trying to duplicate her accomplishments will be a difficult feat.

Lori Endicott, Willard volleyball

Endicott became one of the most celebrated athletes in the Ozarks' history when the Willard native helped Team USA win a bronze medal in volleyball at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

First, she was a three-time all-conference selection for the Willard volleyball team while capturing a state title in 1981. She was also a two-time all-state basketball player.

Endicott then went on to play at Nebraska where she was named the Big Eight Player of the Year in 1987 and 1988 with a team national runner-up finish in 1986.

At the 1992 Summer Olympics, Endicott was considered the best setter in the entire tournament while capturing a bronze medal. She also played for Team USA in the 1996 games.

Becky Flippin, Parkview & Drury basketball

Flippin is still regarded as one of the best athletes to come through Parkview after starting four years and earning three All-Ozarks first-team nods and the News-Leader's Female Athlete of the Year award in 2004.

She ended her Parkview career as the school's all-time leader in points and assists. The Lady Vikings were 80-26 during her career and finished as a Top 10 team in her junior and senior seasons.

Flippin was a top-tier recruit who started her career at Michigan under legendary Missouri State coach Cheryl Burnett where she started 18 games. Flippin then transferred home to play basketball at Drury.

At Drury, Flippin quickly climbed the record books and became a Top 10 leader in career assists, steals and 3-pointers despite playing only two full seasons and one partial season that was heavily impacted by injuries.

Hayley Frank, Strafford basketball

It would be difficult to find an athlete in Ozarks history who had a better resume than Frank over her four-year career at Strafford. She was one of the top recruits in the country, a three-time Class 3 Player of the Year and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year.

Frank won a state championship each year she played while leading Strafford to the longest winning streak in state history. She ranked near the top in every career statistical category and led one of the most overwhelming programs the state has ever seen.

The inspiration Frank brought to the court will be long-lasting. In nearly every game she played, younger athletes came out to watch her dominate. There will be a wave of Frank-inspired girls basketball players coming out of Strafford over the next decade.

More: Strafford's Hayley Frank ends career as perhaps the best girls basketball player in state history

Joanie French, Parkview & Missouri State

After moving to Springfield at the age of nine, French did nothing but dominate the area's sports landscape for the entire time she was here.

At Parkview, she shined in tennis, track, volleyball and basketball while leading the Vikings to city titles in all four sports during her senior year. She was the city's leading scorer that year and was an amateur softball standout before it was played in high schools.

French then attended Missouri State where she led the Bears to four-straight state and regional championships and national tournament appearances in volleyball, state in basketball and a College World Series appearance in softball along with a state high jump and national qualification in track.

Courtney Frerichs, Nixa cross-country

Frerichs became a southwest Missouri legend last summer when she won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. She then broke her own American steeplechase record a few weeks later and solidified herself as maybe the best runner at the event in the nation's history.

The Nixa native did it all with a smile on her face and a belief that she could pull it off. We'll see Frerichs' impact on the Ozarks for many years to come after her historic run.

More: Olympic silver-medalist Courtney Frerichs returns to Nixa — where her journey started

Ellen Gale, Greenwood & Missouri State swimming

Gale was a multi-sport athlete who was celebrated before Title IX was even thought of.

Gale, known for her swimming abilities, dominated the 1930s while capturing 20 individual medals and a National Junior AAU championship. She would have been an Olympian if the 1940 and 1944 games weren't canceled because of World War II.

She also shined in baseball and basketball. In 1937, she enrolled at Springfield Teacher's College (Missouri State) which built an Olympic-sized pool to accommodate her swimming regimen.

The News-Leader tabbed her as one of the "Men of the Year" in 1937 and was the only woman ever to achieve the honor. She was named the paper's athlete of the year for the next four years.

Gracie Gold, Olympic figure skater

Springfield's very own was a bronze medalist at the 2014 Sochi games while representing the United States in the ladies' singles.

Gold is one of the athletes Springfield is best-known for which also saw her, fittingly, take home gold medals in World Team competition along with a silver in the World Junior Championships in 2012.

Laura Granzow, Kickapoo basketball

Leading one of the great high school basketball teams to come through the area, Granzow made her impact as a 6-foot-3 center on a pair of state championship teams.

Granzow was Miss Show-Me Basketball in 2003 and received all-state, all-conference and all-district honors. She averaged 15.8 points and seven rebounds on a team that went 31-0 and won the Class 5 state championship her senior year.

Melody Howard, Missouri State & Marshfield basketball

From Marshfield to Missouri State, Howard might be the most decorated winner at any sport to play their entire career in the area.

Howard led Marshfield to three-straight state championships from 1988-90 which culminated with her being named the state's player of the year as a senior.

She followed by attending Missouri State and leaving as the program's all-time leading scorer with a Final Four appearance in 1992 and four NCAA Tournament appearances over her career.

Stephany Jackson, Glendale golf

Growing up playing golf alongside Payne Stewart, Jackson made a name of her own while helping Glendale's girls' team win the first two of three straight state championships before she graduated in 1979.

Jackson followed by becoming a four-time runner-up at the Missouri Women's Amateur and a three-time runner-up at the Missouri Girls Junior. She also competed three times for the United States Golf Association Missouri team and was a two-time player-captain.

Jackson played a season at Drury and also coached Missouri State's women's golf team from 1993-02. The 2001 team advanced to the program's first NCAA Tournament after winning the MVC.

Lily Johnson, Missouri State volleyball

The greatest volleyball player in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference made her home in Springfield for four seasons while shattering records and taking home a tremendous number of accolades.

Johnson was MSU's first four-time All-American and was named the league's player of the year three times. She's the MVC"s career record holder in kills, attacks and matches with at least 10 kills. She's one of 10 players in NCAA history with at least 2,200 kills and 1,500 digs.

Her teams also enjoyed success with three appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

Michelle Langsford, Central & Drury swimming

Langsford broke barriers while being a standout swimmer at Central High before eventually becoming a star on the Drury men's team.

Langsford was the first Springfield girl to win a high school swim state championship with titles in the individual medley and 100-breaststroke as a sophomore in 1979.

She continued her career at the College of the Ozarks where she earned 21 NAIA All-American honors and captured 14 national championships while setting records in each of her winning events.

Langsford then transferred to Drury where she practiced and competed against the men. She won a national title in the 200-breaststroke while proving to be one of the greatest athletes in the area's history.

Joyce Mahoney, local golfer

When Mahoney turned 30, she started to focus on golf and became one of the greatest in the area to ever do it while also being a vocal advocate for women's sports.

Mahoney was a five-time winner of the Missouri State Senior Championship while placing third in the National Senior Olympics in 1988. She was an 18-time winner of the Springfield Area Women's Golf Association Championships and was a founding inductee into the Ozarks Golf Hall of Fame.

Throughout her career, Mahoney advocated for women's sports. She was a founding member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association-United States Golf Association Girls Program which promoted girls' golf opportunities. She also contributed financially in numerous ways including scholarships, facility upgrades, clothing and equipment.

Tara Mitchem, Glendale & Missouri State basketball

As one of the greatest high school players to come through Springfield and as a standout on one of the greatest Missouri State teams of all time, Mitchem left an incredible legacy on the court.

Mitchem was a two-time all-state selection at Glendale and was also named an All-American before starting her career at Ohio State.

Mitchem transferred back as a sophomore to help lead the Lady Bears to the Final Four during her senior year. She was the first MSU player to score 1,000-plus points in a three-year career. She averaged 13.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and was drafted by the New York Liberty of the WNBA in 2001.

NaTasha Neal, Evangel basketball

Maybe the greatest player to come through Evangel, Neal was a four-time All-American and three-time Heart of America Player of the Year.

Neal led Evangel to the NAIA Final Four in 2005 and NAIA National Tournament in all four years. She finished as the school's second-leading scorer in its history and ranked in the top five all-time in rebounding.

Amanda Newton, Republic & Drury basketball

Newton became one of the great athletes in the history of the area with a standout career at both Republic High and Drury.

At Republic, the 2002 graduate was a two-time all-state selection in hoops, a four-time All-State medalist in track and an all-state performer in volleyball. She set the discus record with a throw of 143 feet, 6 inches as a senior.

She then went on to have a standout career at Drury which ended with her No. 42 jersey being retired. She was a three-time All-American and ended her career as the program's leading scorer and rebounder. She reached the NCAA Tournament four times which included a runner-up finish in her sophomore season.

Bailee Nunn, Marshfield & Drury swimming

The Marshfield native was a U.S. Olympic trial qualifier in three different events in high school before she became maybe the greatest swimmer to come through Drury.

As a freshman, Nunn broke NCAA Division II records in three different events while being named the GLVC's swimmer of the year. She followed her sophomore year by being named Division II's overall swimmer of the year while claiming four national titles.

In total, Nunn claimed 14 national championships before her historic career came to an end. They came in nine different events and she could have added more if the final days of the NCAA-II championships weren't canceled due to the pandemic.

Katie Pritchard, Waynesville & Drury basketball

Pritchard's high school career at Waynesville might have been worthy enough to make this list but then she followed with a hall of fame career at Drury which solidified her as one of the area's greatest athletes.

Pritchard was an all-state performer her senior year at Waynesville while averaging 16.7 points per game. She was also outstanding on the soccer field where she currently ranks ninth all-time in career goals. When she graduated, she was second in state history.

She then followed with a career at Drury where she set the school's 3-point record in makes and field goal percentage on the basketball court. She was a two-time All-GLVC selection and led the Lady Panthers to three NCAA Tournaments which included a Sweet 16 appearance. She also played two seasons of soccer.

Karen Rapier, Missouri State basketball

The first player to ever sign with the legendary Cheryl Burnett, Rapier was a key player when it came to building the proud Lady Bears program into what it is today.

Rapier was a co-captain on the 1991-92 team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament Final Four. The Lady Bears won Gateway Conference titles and clinched NCAA Tournament berths in her final two seasons.

Rapier closed her career as MSU's all-time leader in games played and ranked fifth in rebounds, fifth in points and sixth in steals at the time she graduated. She returned to MSU to coach with Burnett in 1994 and helped coach the Lady Bears to an additional six NCAA Tournament appearances.

Cathy Reynolds, Glendale & Drury golf

In the early years of Title IX's birth, Reynolds became one of the best golfers the area's seen while paving her way to a 17-year career on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour.

Reynolds spent most of her time at Hickory Hills with her dad who was the golf pro. She played alongside Payne Stewart. On the LPGA Tour, she was one of the top players in her era from 1978 to 1994.

Reynolds won the 1981 Golden Lights Championship and also had numerous top-three finishes throughout her career.

Emily Scott, Olympic speedskater

Born in Springfield, southwest Missouri got to call Scott its own as she competed in the 2014 Sochi Olympics as one of the top speed skaters in the world.

The Hillcrest grad learned to inline skate at a local roller rink. At 14, she moved to Florida to focus on inline skating before returning to Springfield to graduate.

Scott won five World Championships inline skating before transitioning to the ice in 2008. Two years later, she placed ninth at the Olympic trials and then made the United States' World Cup and World Championship teams every year from 2010-13.

Scott qualified for the Olympics in 2014 and placed as high as fifth in the 1500-meter race.

Jackie Stiles, Missouri State basketball

The greatest athlete to come through southwest Missouri, Stiles left a legacy on the Ozarks that still has an impact to this day.

On the court, Stiles became the all-time leading scorer in Division I women's basketball history with 3,393 points over her four-year career. She helped lead the Lady Bears to the Final Four while sparking "Jackie-mania" during their Cinderella run in 2001.

Stiles' impact still lasts with many of the area's standout athletes today referencing how they were influenced by watching her on the court, hearing of her legend or getting to know her during a camp.

She's the undisputed G.O.A.T. in southwest Missouri, and it would be hard to find an athlete of any gender who has significantly impacted the area more than her.

More: Jackie Stiles, still fearing for her life, is on a mission to inspire everyone she meets

Jeanette Tendai, Glendale & Missouri State basketball

Tendai helped raise the profile of girls athletics in the 1970s when she became a local standout at Glendale High before helping Missouri State transition to become a Division I program.

At Glendale, she was a three-time All-Ozarks selection with a senior year that had her as an all-state selection. She led the Lady Falcons to the state quarterfinals with a 26-1 record.

She joined Burnett's squad and became MSU's first all-Gateway Conference selection while winning all-league honors as a sophomore and junior and making the second team in 1986. She averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds as a sophomore and eventually became the program's all-time leading scorer. She was the first women's player at Missouri State to have her jersey retired.

Hannah Wilkerson, Miller basketball

Wilkerson put together one of the greatest prep careers the state has ever seen by shattering the all-time scoring record for both boys and girls while at Miller High.

She scored 3,724 points over her four-year career for an average of 31 per game. She averaged 36.8 points during her senior year which ended with a third-place state finish.

Wilkerson earned all-state nods in each of her four high school seasons while also competing in softball and volleyball. She also played college basketball at Missouri State.

Reagan Zibilski, Catholic golf

Springfield's latest golfing phenom, Zibilksi became one of the great golfers to come through southwest Missouri over her career with Catholic.

Zibilksi won state titles in each of the last two years. She won an American Junior Golf Association national tournament before her senior year when she burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old in 2019 by qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open.

She is currently ranked 158th in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Catholic won a team state title in each of the last three seasons and was a runner-up during her freshman year. Zibilksi will continue her golfing career at Arkansas.

Coaches

Cheryl Burnett, Missouri State basketball

One of the area's legends, Burnett is one of the first few names that come to mind for all when it comes to southwest Missouri sports.

The Lady Bears coach guided the team from 1987-02 and led it to a pair of Final Fours and is the one responsible for turning it into the nationally-known program that it continues to be to this day.

After two sub-.500 seasons to begin her career, Burnett led the Lady Bears to 13-straight winning seasons including nine campaigns of 20 or more wins and 11 postseason appearances. She went 319-136 over her career with teams that featured the legendary likes of Stiles and Howard.

Linda Dollar, Missouri State volleyball

When Dollar retired from coaching, she ranked second in NCAA history in career wins for a head coach with a 758-230-21 record. She's still one of 30 coaches to ever win 750 or more games.

Dollar retired from coaching in 1995 after 24 seasons as head coach. She was a three-time league coach of the year and led the Bears to three NCAA Tournaments and 10 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national tournament berths and a fifth-place AIAW finish in 1981.

Dollar was the first woman inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame and became MSU's first full-time compliance officer for the athletic department after serving as the assistant director of women's athletics in 1982.

Holly Hesse, Missouri State softball

Hesse continues to add to her historic resume after completing her 34th season as the Bears' head softball coach which ended with a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Hesse ranks 22nd among all active head coaches in career victories with 872. She is the winningest coach in MSU history and second all-time in the Valley. She has led the Bears to two MVC regular-season titles, six MVC tournament crowns and six trips to the NCAA Tournament.

More: Missouri State softball clinches first NCAA Tournament bid in 11 years with MVC Tournament title

Mary Kay Hunter, Missouri State softball

The Mount Vernon native paved the way for many notable female athletes who came through southwest Missouri while also being one of the more successful head coaches in the area's history.

Hunter led the Bears to the AIAW College World Series seven times with a 227-111 record over her 11 years. Included a 1974 season that ended with the Bears bringing home their first national title for a women's team.

Hunter also organized a junior miss softball program and led a group that included the likes of Dollar and Sue Schuble — a pair of athletes who went on to make a difference for female athletes for years to come.

Becky Lipasek, El Dorado Springs volleyball

Everywhere Lipasek went, success followed. She had a major impact on the area during her 27 years of coaching in the Ozarks.

With Lipasek at the helm, El Dorado Springs won a pair of state championships with one in 1999 and the other in 2005. Two second-place finishes also followed. In Reeds Spring, she led a pair of teams to finish third. Over the course of her career, she helped produce 24 all-state selections.

Molly Miller, Drury basketball

All Miller did while she was in Springfield was win whether she was the one on the court or on the sideline coaching.

Miller's career in the spotlight began as a player at Kickapoo where her teams went 110-9 over her four years with a pair of state championship wins. In 2002-03, the Lady Chiefs were ranked 13th in the nation. She was a three-time all-state performer and she was the valedictorian of her high school class.

While wearing a Drury uniform, the Lady Panthers went 112-18 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament four times. She finished her career fourth on Drury's all-time scoring list, third in assists and second in steals.

More: All Molly Miller did in Springfield was win. Now it's time for her to win somewhere else.

As the coach of the Lady Panthers, her teams went a combined 180-17 and she finished six wins shy of the record for all-time coaching wins before she departed for Grand Canyon. She was a two-time Division II Coach of the Year with her final team going 32-0 with a No. 1 national ranking before the NCAA Tournament was canceled by COVID-19.

The Lady Panthers made the NCAA Tournament in all six of her seasons with a regional title in 2019 before reaching the Final Four.

Tammy Miller, Logan-Rogersville volleyball

Miller established a level of excellence for Logan-Rogersville volleyball that will be difficult for anyone else to top.

She spent 22 years with Logan-Rogersville and was head coach from 1999-2019. Fifteen of her teams won a conference title with 16 district championships. The Wildcats made the Final Four eight times, finished second three times and won the state title in 2018.

Miller's Logan-Rogersville career ended 611-160-39 with 29 players being named to all-state squads with one Under Armour All-American and a Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year.

Nyla Milleson, Glendale, Drury & Missouri State basketball

Milleson led one of the more successful stretches of coaching across three different levels over a 19-year stretch in southwest Missouri.

She began her career at Glendale High in 1992 where she led the Lady Falcons to six-straight 20-win seasons which included a 27-3 year in 1996 which resulted in a state championship.

Milleson later crossed town to become the first-ever head coach of the Drury women's basketball program where she stayed from 2000-07. The Lady Panthers won 20 or more games six times with six conference titles and five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. The Lady Panthers finished as the 2004 Division II national runner-up.

More: Drury names former Lady Panthers, Lady Bears head coach Nyla Milleson as athletics director

Milleson then moved down the street in 2007 to become the head coach of the Missouri State Lady Bears. She led MSU to three WNIT appearances and a Valley regular-season title.

Milleson is currently back at Drury as the school's director of athletics.

Becky Mullis, College of the Ozarks basketball

Mullis has been a big reason why the College of the Ozarks women's basketball team remained an NAIA power before it was recently moved to the NCCAA.

Mullis just completed her ninth season in charge of the program with a fifth-place finish at the NCCAA Tournament. The Lady Bobcats are 227-52 with her in charge.

C of O has qualified for the national tournament each year she's been the head coach. They were an Elite Team in 10 of the last 15 seasons in the NAIA with six trips to the Fab Four and five national runner-up finishes.

Stephanie Phillips, Kickapoo basketball

The late Phillips was one of the top high school coaches the area has seen and she continues to serve as an inspiration to this day.

Phillips started as an all-state athlete in basketball, volleyball and track while at Springfield Catholic. She won basketball and volleyball state titles.

She then played at Missouri State and helped lead the Lady Bears to three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Phillips returned to the Ozarks after three seasons as an assistant at Mizzou to become the head coach at Kickapoo from 2001-10. The Lady Chiefs went 214-38 during the span with three MSHSAA Final Four appearances and a pair of state titles.

Phillips developed cancer in 2007 and coached her last three seasons while undergoing treatment before she passed away in 2010. She was inducted into numerous halls of fame and has been honored by the Women's Intersport Network with the establishment of the annual Stephanie Phillips Courage Award.

Sue Schuble, Missouri State athlete, Kickapoo coach

A few years before Title IX, Schuble was one of the top all-around athletes at Missouri State before later becoming a highly successful coach at Kickapoo.

Schuble was a four-year starter in volleyball, basketball and softball while also participating in golf and track. She was a setter for the volleyball team in 1970 that placed eighth in the first-ever AIAW Nationals. The softball quad in 1969 placed third at the AIAW Nationals and second during her senior season.

She later became a volleyball and basketball coach at Kickapoo in 1973. The basketball team won 12 conference championships and district championships with state championships in 1985 and 1987.

On the volleyball court, her teams won 16 conference championships, 11 district tiles, a fourth-place finish, a third-place finish and a pair of second-place finishes.

When she retired in 2001 after 28 years of coaching. She was the only girls' high school coach to reach 500 wins in both volleyball and basketball.

Reba Sims, Missouri State coach

One of the pioneers for women's athletics in the Ozarks, Sims created countless opportunities for others over an incredible coaching career.

Sims had stints coaching softball, basketball and field hockey during the formative years of women's sports at Missouri State.

She took the softball team to three-straight AIAW state titles and placed third nationally in 1969, second the next year and third in 1971. She also led the Lady Bears to success with four state titles and a second-place finish at the AIAW regional meet in 1974.

During and after her coaching days, Sims was an instructor in the MSU Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department. She was also a founding member of the Women's Intersport Network which supports and encourages women to play and officiate a variety of sports.

Melissa Stokes, Missouri State volleyball

The second-winningest coach in Valley history, Stokes led the Bears' volleyball program successfully for 23 seasons.

In 18 of her final 20 seasons, the Bears won at least 20 matches while she also guided a number of All-Americans including Johnson who is considered one of the greatest athletes to come through the school.

Missouri State made 10 NCAA Tournaments over her career. Her best season came in 2017 when the Bears finished 28-6 and were unbeaten through the MVC regular-season and conference tournament.

Administrators

Jodie Adams

After standing out as one of the area's brightest tennis stars, Adams later went on to be an instrumental figure on the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and create opportunities for many across the region.

Adams compiled 37 years on the park board which included serving as the first female director from 2006-11. She helped expand the number of sports it offered in addition to putting up facilities and bringing events to the Ozarks — including World TeamTennis to the Cooper Tennis Complex.

Adams also served as the president of the National Recreation and Park Association in addition to the president of the Missouri Parks and Recreation Association.

Florence Baker Bugg, Missouri State & Greenwood

A native of Iowa, Bugg came to Springfield in 1930 to teach physical education at Missouri State and Greenwood.

Bugg organized the Girl's Athletic Association at Greenwood to give female athletes an opportunity to compete before Title IX. She also organized the Orchesis Dance Club in 1936 and Delta Psi Kappa, the forerunner of the current physical education honorary society, a year later.

Barb Cowherd, Drury

Instrumental to the growth of women's athletics at Drury, Cowherd elevated sports in the Ozarks and is a big reason why it is as proud of a female sports region as it is today.

In 1999, Cowherd became the associated athletics director and senior woman administrator and was soon elevated to associate athletics director. She helped launch the Lady Panthers basketball program and played a key role in making the O'Reilly Family Event Center a reality.

Over her nearly four-decade career, Cowherd helped Drury go from two women's sports to 11 NCAA Division II programs. The athletics program went from six sports in 1980 to 26 by 2019-20.

Becky Oakes, MSHSAA

Oakes was a trailblazer for Title IX in the Ozarks, Missouri and national level throughout her incredible career.

From 1982 until January 2006, Oakes was on the MSHSAA staff. In 1992, she became its executive director while becoming one of two women to assume the position nationwide.

In 1993, Oakes began her term on the National Federation of State High School Associations Board of Directors. In 1996, she became its first female president.

The Rolla native and Missouri State grad went beyond her executive director role while assisting in building MSHSAA into what it is today. She also made it an emphasis for schools to embrace diversity and expanded the Board of Directors to include athletic administrators eligible for election, the inclusion of minority and female representation and greater diversity on all MSHSAA committees.

Oakes continues to be a voice for women's sports today while co-hosting "Talking Women's Sports" on local radio. She also volunteers for MSHSAA and participates in a high school mentoring program.

Dr. Mary Jo Wynn, Missouri State

It just so happens that our list of 50 women was alphabetical and that maybe the most influential Title IX advocate is the last to appear.

Wynn, a Hartville native, was the backbone of one of the most progressive and successful women's athletics programs in the country at Missouri State and was a national pioneer for the cause of women's sports.

Wynn served as MSU's director of women's athletics at MSU in 1975. When the men's and women's athletics departments merged in 1992, Wynn was named the senior director of athletics and senior woman administrator which were roles she held until her retirement in 1998.

More: Jackie Stiles, Melissa Stokes, other Missouri State legends remember Dr. Mary Jo Wynn's impact

Wynn played a major role in the formation of the AIAW. She was an executive board member upon its creation in 1977 and she was later instrumental in the formation of the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1982. She was at the forefront when the MSU men's and women's teams joined the MVC in 1992.

More: Mary Jo Wynn — pioneer of women's sports at Missouri State — dies

Prior to being named director of women's athletics, she organized women's athletics competitions within the athletics departments and led the formation of intercollegiate volleyball and tennis teams. She also coached swimming and track.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the co-host of Sports Talk on Jock Radio weekdays from 4-6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 50 women who have impacted sports in the Springfield area