Title IX anniversary touted by women involved in Edinboro Triathlon; champs repeat titles

EDINBORO – It didn't matter to Lauren Eckendorf that she and Kathrine Switzer were in the midst of a five-kilometer race that complemented this April's Boston Marathon.

Eckendorf, a 2008 Fairview graduate, had to personally thank the 75-year-old competitor for being that marathon's first female participant even if was in the midst of live action.

Had to.

Without Switzer's appearance in the 1967 marathon, it's possible neither would have been running that day.

Nor would Eckendorf be co-director of Saturday's Edinboro Triathlon, a role the former swimmer for the Tigers has held since 2019.

It's also a role Eckendorf likely wouldn't have attained if not for the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act – better known as Title IX – being signed into law on June 23, 1972.

That, along with Switzer's unprecedented Boston Marathon appearance five years before, is why Eckendorf thanked her as they made their way through the congested pack of their 5K.

“Growing up, I didn't realize how special it was that I could (competitively swim),” Eckendorf said. “That I could swim if I wanted to. That I could try out for football if I wanted to. I didn't know any different, and it didn't even cross my mind that it had ever been different. As I've grown older, I've (learned) how it was prior to Title IX.

"To now being able to direct a race I grew up watching my dad and uncles do, but realizing there were women before me who couldn't do that. That's why, in the middle of 10,000 people, I turned to her and said, 'Kathrine, thank you.' She said, 'Your welcome.'”

Eckendorf spoke before the start of Saturday's triathlon, which took place in consecutive years for the first time since 2017.

Fort LeBoeuf graduate Matt McWilliams (51 minutes, 40 seconds) and former Edinboro University swimmer Desiree Terella (1:06:53) repeated as the competition's male and female victors.

Mother-daughter benefactors

Title IX, which celebrates its golden anniversary on June 23, has existed long enough to help produce generations of female athletes within families.

The mother-daughter duo of Pam and Mary Wassell, who were among the nearly 300 athletes who completed Saturday, were such an example.

Pam Wassell, at 1:29:20, was the the silver medalist for the event's age 55-59 female division. Mary Wassell finished seventh (1:38:30) in the women's 25-29 division.

Both were athletes during their years at McDowell.

Pam Wassell, a 1982 graduate, was a runner for the Trojans. Mary Wassell, a 2015 graduate, competed in swimming.

“(Title IX) is something to be celebrated,” Mary Wassell said. “I also was on the golf team at McDowell. There were only a handful of us on the team at the time, but even then it was wonderful.

“Now, it's so competitive in (all sports) because there are so many girls on each team.”

Mary Wassell parlayed her swimming success at McDowell into a spot on the Gannon University women's roster. She graduated from there in 2019 and currently works as a marketing consultant for Erie's Parker Philips Inc.

Mary Wassell initially learned about Title IX during a middle school history class. That's why she said Pam Wassell should be recognized for her trailblazing ways when it comes to the current athletic landscape.

“My mother definitely taught me to always believe in myself and go after what I want,” Mary Wassell said. “(Title IX) definitely shattered a lot of ceilings. Women are still fighting for equality today, but it gives me the motivation to keep moving forward.”

Terella also talks Title IX

Terella, 34, said she was aware of Title IX before her arrival at Edinboro in 2006.

However, the following four years as a swimmer for the Fighting Scots are what fully alerted the Broadview Heights, Ohio, native to the opportunities that law provided her, and continues to provide women, at least when it comes to athletics.

“When I was there, triathlon wasn't even a college sport,” Terella said. “Now, it's (being considered). There's so much growth with women's sports overall. That's awesome to see.”

Terella was the triathlon's overall female champion for a third straight time. Her current reign began in 2019, with the 2020 event canceled because of COVID-19.

Terella also is the women's defending champ for the Highmark Quad Games. She's a four-time winner dating to its 2016-17 competition.

McWilliams also repeats

Saturday's overall triathlon winner also wasn't a surprise.

Fort LeBoeuf graduate Matt McWilliams completed his 750-yard swim, 11.2-mike bike and 3.1-mile run exactly 2½ minutes ahead of John Reed, 24, of Gibsonia.

“It's exciting to come back here and still be on top,” McWilliams said. “I had some competition this year, so it was fun to come out and have to race hard. I raced (Reed) a couple years ago before the pandemic happened. We've had a couple battles back and forth, so I was happy to get him this time.”

Saturday's sprint triathlon distances were minuscule compared to the Ironman 70.3 triathlons that McWilliams, 29, not only has completed but won. His summer training and event schedule will be shortened due to getting married this August, but he does plan to enter an Ironman-sanctioned event on Nov. 20 at Tempe, Arizona.

Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper.

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Results for the Edinboro Triathlon at Edinboro Lake's Pat Crawford Beach:

Men

Overall: 1. Matt McWilliams 51:40; 2. John Reed 53:10; 3. Vince Fadale 58:21

Age 15-19: 1. Charlie Minor 1:12:45; 2. Evan Calvert 1:15:49; 3. Hayden Parnell 1:19:07

Age 20-24: 1. Mason Kooyman 1:06:37; 2. Spencer Ferber 1:16:18; 3. John Patterson 1:19:58

Age 25-29: 1. Hayden Lavigne 1:09:41; 2. Nathan Zigler 1:12:23; 3. Tyler McClimans 1:17:12

Age 30-34: 1. Owen Venesky 1:00:48; 2. Stephen Matteson 1:03:12; 3. Garrett Brown 1:04:42

Age 35-39: 1. Ray Reinheimer 1:00:04; 2. Adam Rosen 1:01:43; 3. Tim Ribovic 1:01:58

Age 40-44: 1. Sean Battis 58:47; 2. Nick Downey 1:14:53; 3. Christopher Dodd 1:16:16

Age 45-49: 1. Scott Proctor 1:06:26; 2. Terry Kooyman 1:08:08; 3. Gabriel Engel 1:12:44

Age 50-54: 1. Alan Ellsworth 1:10:40; 2. Paul Scheele 1:11:56; 3. Dan McNeil 1:14:30

Age 55-59: 1. Kevin Smyth 1:06:25; 2. Mike Lawrence 1:07:05; 3. Randall McElwain 1:08:32

Age 60-64: 1. Gary Sauer 1:06:14; 2. Ray Russell 1:08:44; 3. Kris Meekins 1:14:54

Age 65-69: 1. Phil Friedman 1:07:38; 2. Ray Dworakowski 1:22:12; 3. Robert Wheatall 1:22:26

Age 70-74: 1. Henry Windle 1:43.59; 2. Paul Majoris 1:44:34; 3. James McNulty 1:53:13

Women

Overall: 1. Desiree Terella 1:06:53; 2. Dana Miller 1:10:01; 3. Mackenzie Smith 1:11:15

Age 15-19: 1. Grace Lazzara 1:16:10; 2. Brooke Polon 1:20:56; 3. Kendra Culler 1:25:20

Age 20-24: 1. Katie Johnson 1:16:81; 2. Sabrina Hepler 1:26:56

Age 25-29: 1. Kelsey Morosky 1:15:14; 2. Kacey Raible 1:17:13; 3. Courtney Sargent 1:23:43

Age 30-34: 1. Nicole Corsi 1:15:33; 2. Sarah Lonzi 1:19:02; 3. Lauren Zarger 1:23:18

Age 35-39: 1. Kelly Latimer 1:11:52; 2. Melanie Nickou 1:15:30; 3. Erin Sheehan 1:16:32

Age 40-44: 1. Sarah Holland 1:17:13; 2. Jamie Knuff 1:23:37; 3. Bonnie Gordon 1:24:38

Age 45-49: 1. Melinda Lawson-Crabtree 1:11:34; 2. Kelli Proctor 1:13:05; 3. Noe Woods 1:20:45

Age 50-54: 1. Martha Brennan 1:12:12; 2. Cathy McManus 1:15:24; 3. Tina Fuhrman 1:20:04

Age 55-59: 1. Lisa Myers 1:27:35; 2. Pamela Wassell 1:29:20; 3. Michelle Pekich 1:34:37

Age 60-64: 1. Nancy Herbst 1:13.34; 2. Joan Wolfe 1:16:42; 3. Elizabeth Kelly 1:22:59

Age 65-69: 1. Susan Kreplin-Michaels 1:20:59; 2. Tanya Cady 1:29:17

Age 70-74: 1. Tove Shrere 1:26:56; 2. Cheryl Pike 1:49:32

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Edinboro Triathlon athletes tout Title IX anniversary