Date of Award
Fall 12-13-2025
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts - History
Department
History
First Advisor
Dr. Scott Sosebee
Second Advisor
Dr. Brook Poston
Third Advisor
Dr. Dana Cooper
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Jason Reese
Abstract
From the 1950’s through the 2000’s, women’s college basketball would move from a category of inappropriate activity to selling out large arenas and being broadcast to millions of viewers on national TV. Such a result came largely from federally mandated stipulation contained within Title IX, accelerated a fight for equity and acceptance, and advanced the cause for women’s athletics more than any other initiative. However, that alone would have failed to grow the popularity of a sport such as women’s basketball if it did not produce a quality product for fans. Beyond the need for resources comparable to men’s athletics, women needed to perform at a level that would attract fans and grow their game. At Stephen F. Austin State University, head women’s basketball coach Sue Gunter, accelerated the implementation of Title IX equity due to her success on the court. With Coach Gunter’s efforts, Stephen F. Austin reached national prominence in women’s athletics.
Repository Citation
Allen, Derek S., "Sue Gunter and the Battle for Equity in Women’s Athletics at SFA" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 617.
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/617
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
