Evolution of Columbia Women’s Basketball: From Barnard Beginnings to Ivy Triumphs
Women’s basketball at Columbia University has changed a lot over the years. It started with Barnard College and now stands out in the Ivy League.
This blog post digs into the history of women’s basketball at Columbia. If you want the full story, check out the Columbia Spectator.
The Early Days: Barnard College and the Birth of Women’s Basketball
Table of Contents
- 1 The Early Days: Barnard College and the Birth of Women’s Basketball
- 2 The 1970s and 1980s: Title IX and the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium
- 3 The Transition to Division I and Early Challenges
- 4 The Turn of the Millennium: Struggles and Resurgence
- 5 The Future: What’s Next for Columbia Women’s Basketball?
Columbia’s women’s basketball roots go back to Barnard College in 1903. Back then, the team played Teachers College in games that barely broke double digits because there wasn’t a shot clock.
Even with low scores, the games felt lively and brought people together. Barnard’s 14-7 win over Teachers College was a big deal and got the campus buzzing.
Intrauniversity Competitions
In those early years, Barnard and Teachers College faced off often. The games might not have been high-scoring, but people described them as exciting.
That 14-7 victory? It really drew a crowd and got folks talking.
Women’s Liberation and Second-Wave Feminism
The 1970s brought second-wave feminism, and with it, the Barnard Women’s Liberation basketball team. They even played against a Barnard Men’s Faculty Team, and about 300 people showed up to watch.
Interest in women’s sports on campus just kept growing after that.
The 1970s and 1980s: Title IX and the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium
Title IX passed in 1972 and changed women’s sports at Barnard. Even with the new law, some people felt women’s athletics still didn’t get the attention they deserved.
In the same decade, the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium formed, letting women from all over the university join the same athletics program.
Title IX and Its Impact
Title IX had a massive impact on sports for women at Barnard and Columbia. But players like Diana Wood didn’t love the refereeing—she once said it felt more like a senior prom than a real game.
People started pushing harder for real recognition and support.
Formation of the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium
When Columbia College started admitting women in 1983, the Athletic Consortium came together. Women from across the university could finally compete on the same teams.
Barnard moved up from Division III to Division I for all sports except women’s basketball at first. That was a big step for the program.
The Transition to Division I and Early Challenges
Moving to Division I marked a huge change for Columbia women’s basketball. Their first official game happened at the Rose City Classic—they lost, but bounced back with a win right after.
The 1985-86 team crushed their Division III opponents. Division I, though, brought a whole new set of challenges in the 1986-87 season.
First Official Game and Early Victories
Columbia’s first official game was against Fairleigh Dickinson in the Rose City Classic. They didn’t win, but then took down Drew 82-54 in their next game.
That win set a tone for what was possible.
Challenges in Division I
The 1986-87 season was Columbia’s first in Division I. They finished 8-16, but managed to beat Penn and Cornell.
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One of the wildest moments came the next year—a 111-104 win over Brown in quadruple overtime. Talk about drama.
The Turn of the Millennium: Struggles and Resurgence
The late ’90s and early 2000s were rough for Columbia women’s basketball. Head coach Nancy Kalafus left after the 1990-91 season, and things kind of fell apart for a while.
The 1994-95 season was especially tough—they didn’t win a single game. But by 2009-10, the team finally put together a winning record in Division I.
Post-Kalafus Struggles
After Kalafus left, the team just couldn’t find its footing. The 1994-95 season was brutal: zero wins in 26 games.
That stretch was all about instability and disappointment.
Resurgence Under Megan Griffith
When Megan Griffith took over as head coach in 2020, things started to turn around. She’s led the team to three Ivy League championships and two straight March Madness appearances.
A $10 million donation—the biggest ever for women’s athletics at Columbia—has helped fuel their success. The program’s on a roll, and honestly, it’s exciting to see where they’ll go next.
The Future: What’s Next for Columbia Women’s Basketball?
Columbia women’s basketball keeps building momentum. The future? Honestly, it looks pretty bright.
The program’s recent wins have set the bar high. With the Columbia community behind them, there’s no telling how far they’ll go.
Want a closer look at how women’s basketball at Columbia has changed over time? Check out the deep dive from the Columbia Spectator.