ATLANTA, Ga. (March 18, 2003) -- The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) is encouraging all NCAA Division I, II and III Tournament Coaches and staff to show their support in keeping Title IX intact. In an effort to preserve the civil rights legislation, the WBCA sent out a memo earlier this week asking all 64 NCAA Division I Tournament coaches; Division II Elite Eight coaches, and Division III Final Four coaches to make a visual declaration opposing changes in Title IX.

The memo cited that the Bush administration's plan to change Title IX, adversely affects women student-athletes. In June of 2002, Secretary of Education Rod Paige assembled the Commission on Opportunity in Athletics to evaluate whether, and how, current standards governing Title IX's application to athletics should be revised. Since that time, the Commission released a report with recommendations, which many Title IX supporters believe weakens the policies of the enactment.

Perhaps the most captivating component of this new campaign is the button that accompanied the memo, displaying the word CHANGE with a red strike through it. Each NCAA Division I, II and III tournament coach, along with their staff are asked to wear these buttons during their respective National Championships as a symbol of their support enforcing "no changes to Title IX". The entire staff at Texas Tech University has already committed themselves to this campaign.

"This is an important initiative proposed by WBCA President and Texas Tech Head Coach, Marsha Sharp. This initiative has been supported whole-heartedly by our executive committee to take a stand on the importance of equity in women's athletics," said WBCA CEO, Beth Bass. "We feel a huge responsibility being the number one participatory sport in women's athletics, to present this program in the national spotlight. We must inform the public that the law should not be changed!"

The campaign hopes to achieve the goal of sending a unified message to the media, fans and the government. Women's basketball coaches strongly agree, there should be ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGES in Title IX.

Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as an amateur sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA visit its web site at WBCA.org.