Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Athletics

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Athletics Department will host a special celebration honoring the 50th anniversary of women’s athletics at the Institute with a luncheon on Friday, October 10, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. in the East Campus Athletic Village (ECAV) Gymnasium.

Headlining the celebration will be a keynote address from Carol Stiff, former RPI women’s basketball head coach and a trailblazer in women’s sports media. Stiff currently serves as President of the Women’s Sports Network, the first 24/7 streaming channel dedicated exclusively to women’s sports.

A champion for gender equity and a pioneer in sports broadcasting, Stiff began her collegiate coaching career at RPI in the 1980s before going on to spend more than three decades at ESPN, where she led the charge in expanding coverage of women’s collegiate and professional sports.

Her efforts played a key role in the rise of marquee matchups like the Tennessee-UConn women’s basketball rivalry, the growth of the WNBA, and the network’s long-standing commitment to women’s NCAA Championship programming. She has been widely recognized for her impact, including induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and receipt of the John Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In addition to celebrating Stiff’s contributions, the luncheon will honor generations of RPI women student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who have shaped five decades of history since the Institute began sponsoring intercollegiate women’s sports in 1974.

The event is open to alumni, current student-athletes, faculty, staff, and members of the community as RPI proudly recognizes a legacy of excellence, opportunity, and leadership in women’s athletics.

More details, including ticket information can be found HERE.