GORHAM, Maine - For more than 50 years (56 to be specific), University of Southern Maine (and its predecessor institutions) have proudly supported women's athletics, offering intercollegiate programs for the first time in 1967 – a full five years prior to the historic passage of Title IX.  In fact, as early as 1918, Gorham Normal School as it was known then, recognized the direct impact that athletics participation can have on leadership development, and the confidence of girls and women in sport, and offered variety of physical education and competitions, including interclass basketball. 
 
Celebrating the 37^th anniversary of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, and the 50^th Anniversary of Title IX, Huskies' Athletics is coming together to honor the outstanding legacy of Title IX and recognize its past, present and future women student-athletes. On Friday, February 3, the University of Southern Maine Huskies Department of Athletics will host breakfast featuring keynote speaker Janet Judge – a nationally recognized sports law attorney.
 
Open to all student-athletes and staff, Judge will speak on the topic of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, the 50^th Anniversary of Title IX and its continuing impact, and the value that athletics participation in high school, college and beyond has long after graduation.  
 
One of the most highly sought after speakers in the country, Judge is a partner and sports law attorney at Education & Sports Law Group, LLC, and is known as the "super lawyer" for collegiate athletics.  Named the 2022 Sports Lawyer of the Year (Boston) by The Best Lawyers in America guide – an award she's earned twice previously – Judge is well-versed in civil rights compliance, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), in-house program reviews and Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) matters.  A nationally-recognized expert in the area of Title IX, Judge – a former Division I student-athlete -  has worked with hundreds of colleges and universities on a variety of topics, including diversity, equity and inclusion, social media education, and Title IX Compliance.
 
"I am very excited to have Janet join us for the day and work with our student-athletes, staff and invited guests," noted Southern Maine Director of Athletics Al Bean. "She is among the most knowledgeable and respected people in her profession as a sports law attorney.  Janet has made sports law her life's work, and we are happy to have her on campus to share the importance and continuing impact of Title IX, the value of girls and women participating in sports and to tell a little of her own story as an athlete and talk about leadership development. Everyone in attendance at our Huskies' National Girls & Women in Sports Day breakfast will learn, and greatly benefit from their time spent with Janet -  she is truly outstanding."
 
Judge has previously lent her expertise and guidance to the Huskies' Athletics Department on numerous occasions, helping craft and shape necessary policy, and has served as a consultant on the University's Title IX Review.  Most recently, Judge is a founding board member of the USM Athletics Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Board.
 
The 2023 Huskies' Athletics National Girls' & Women in Sport Day Breakfast will be hosted at the Costello Sports Complex Fieldhouse on the Gorham campus of the University of Southern Maine.  Members of the University's faculty and staff will join Husky student-athletes  for the breakfast and table conversations and Provost Adam Tuchinsky will give brief remarks and a welcome address followed by the keynote presentation by Janet Judge.  Following Judge's presentation, there will be a question and answer period for those in attendance.
 
 
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