Lorene Ramsey
Encyclopedia
Lorene Ramsey, a pioneer in women's sports, is one of the most successful college coaches of all time. In 1968, Ramsey joined the staff of Illinois Central College
, a community college in East Peoria, Illinois
. There, before the passing of Title IX
, she started the women's athletic program. She coached the softball team
for 28 years, compiling an overall record of 840-309 and two NJCAA
National Softball Championships. She also coached the women's basketball
team for 33 seasons amassing a record of 887-197 while winning four NJCAA Women's Basketball Championship
s. She has been inducted into 10 halls of fame including the National Softball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
. She was a founding officer of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and, as a player, was inducted into the ASA Hall of Fame in 1987.
. In 1955, she moved from St. Louis to central Illinois to pitch for the Pekin Lettes
. A successful athlete in her own right, she pitched for 18 years there and had an overall record of 401-90. In 1965 she pitched 98 1/3 scoreless innings. She was a four-time ASA All-American. In 1968, she left the teaching staff of Pekin High School to join the staff of Illinois Central College
, where she helped develop an intramural sports
program for both men and women. This program turned into Illinois Central College's current intercollegiate athletic program. Throughout the history of Illinois Central College women's sports, hundreds of women have gone on to receive NCAA Division I and II athletic scholarships to four-year colleges and universities.
Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College, often called ICC, is a large Illinois community college with its largest campus in East Peoria, Illinois, off Illinois State Route 116 near U.S. Route 150 and the McClugage Bridge...
, a community college in East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 23,402 at the 2010 census. East Peoria is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area, located across the Illinois River from downtown Peoria. It is home to many Caterpillar Inc. facilities...
. There, before the passing of Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
, she started the women's athletic program. She coached the softball team
College softball
College softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. College softball is normally played by women at the intercollegiate level, whereas college baseball is normally played by men.As with other intercollegiate...
for 28 years, compiling an overall record of 840-309 and two NJCAA
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
National Softball Championships. She also coached the women's basketball
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
team for 33 seasons amassing a record of 887-197 while winning four NJCAA Women's Basketball Championship
NJCAA Women's Basketball Championship
-1975-1991:*NOTE: From 1975 to 1991, the NJCAA had only one class for women's basketball-Division I:-Division II:-Division III:-See also:*NJCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship*NJCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship...
s. She has been inducted into 10 halls of fame including the National Softball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
. She was a founding officer of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and, as a player, was inducted into the ASA Hall of Fame in 1987.
| Education | Records | Accolades/Championships |
|---|---|---|
|
Pekin Lettes The Pekin Lettes is a fast-pitch softball team in Pekin, Illinois, and is the oldest member-sanctioned Amateur Softball Association team in the United States.-History:... : 401-90; |
|
History
Lorene Ramsey was born July 10, 1936 in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. In 1955, she moved from St. Louis to central Illinois to pitch for the Pekin Lettes
Pekin Lettes
The Pekin Lettes is a fast-pitch softball team in Pekin, Illinois, and is the oldest member-sanctioned Amateur Softball Association team in the United States.-History:...
. A successful athlete in her own right, she pitched for 18 years there and had an overall record of 401-90. In 1965 she pitched 98 1/3 scoreless innings. She was a four-time ASA All-American. In 1968, she left the teaching staff of Pekin High School to join the staff of Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College, often called ICC, is a large Illinois community college with its largest campus in East Peoria, Illinois, off Illinois State Route 116 near U.S. Route 150 and the McClugage Bridge...
, where she helped develop an intramural sports
Intramural sports
Intramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
program for both men and women. This program turned into Illinois Central College's current intercollegiate athletic program. Throughout the history of Illinois Central College women's sports, hundreds of women have gone on to receive NCAA Division I and II athletic scholarships to four-year colleges and universities.