The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota released its annual Women in College Coaching Report Card (WCCRC) in collaboration with WeCOACH. The report documents the percentage of women in all coaching positions for women’s teams within seven select NCAA Division I conferences (Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, Pac-12, American, ACC, SEC).
Data in the 11th year of the WCCRC points to some ‘firsts’ and some good news!
Based on the numbers, we are cautiously optimistic that the stagnation era is over and we are entering a new era for intercollegiate Division I women sport coaches at the most visible, powerful institutions—Slow and Steady Incline!
• The percentage of women head coaches of NCAA D-I women’s teams in seven select conferences is up again for the ninth year in a row.
• The percentage of women head coaches increased by the largest margin (2.3%) in the history of the Report Card, and 2022 marked the second greatest increase (1.2%).
• For the first time more institutions earned an A grade than a F grade! In fact, there were 3x more As than Fs! For the last ten years, the number of F grades far outnumbered the As.
This year recorded the greatest number (n = 10) of institutional A grades, 2021-22 recorded seven As.
• University of Cincinnati has earned an A grade every year of the report.
• For the second time in ten years and for two years in a row, a majority of positional vacancies (58.1%) were filled by women.
• For the first time, a majority (65%, 15 of 23) of BIPOC coaches hired were women of color.
• The percentage of women coaches of color increased from 5.7% in 2022 to 6.2% this year.
• This year marks the first time all select seven conferences increased in the percentage of women head coaches.
• Basketball the most lucrative, visible and popular women’s intercollegiate sport moved up to an A grade for the first time.
To see the full report and which institutions, sports and conferences get passing and failing grades go to TuckerCenter.org.