Patterson, Robbins Recognized as SEC Trailblazers
2/14/2022 3:45:00 PM | General
In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the league is honoring those who have contributed to the advancement of women in athletics
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In conjunction with the Southeastern Conference's 50th anniversary of Title IX celebration, a distinguished group of individuals from all 14 SEC member institutions will be honored during the 2022 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament, March 2-6, in Nashville, Tenn., including Alabama's Sarah Patterson and Marie Robbins.
Known as SEC Trailblazers, this group has contributed to the advancement of women and the growth of women's athletics at their universities and within the Southeastern Conference.
During her legendary 36-year career leading the Crimson Tide gymnastics program, Patterson became the first coach in SEC history, regardless of sport, to win NCAA Championships in four different decades, leading Alabama to six overall. Patterson, along with her husband and career-long assistant coach David, also led the Crimson Tide to eight SEC titles and an NCAA-record 29 regional championships.
Individually, her gymnasts earned 25 individual NCAA titles, one Honda Cup, eight Honda Awards, 18 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, five NCAA Elite 89 Awards, 302 All-America honors and 201 Scholastic All-America honors.
Patterson was also an Associate Athletics Director during her Crimson Tide career, including a stint as Senior Woman Administrator, serving on several NCAA and SEC committees. In 2005, she created the Power of Pink initiative to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer, which started with gymnastics before being adopted by all women's programs at Alabama.
Robbins, who was both a student-athlete and administrator for the Crimson Tide, retired in December of 2019 as Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator. During her 25-year tenure in Tuscaloosa, the teams she oversaw won four NCAA team titles, 13 Southeastern Conference championships as well as 23 individual or relay NCAA titles and posted 37 top-10 national finishes.
As a two-year captain of The University of Alabama gymnastics team, Robbins led the Crimson Tide to an SEC and NCAA title in 1988 as a sophomore and another SEC title in 1990 as a senior. She earned four All-America honors, an SEC all-around title, three SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades and an SEC Postgraduate Scholarship.
Robbins also served the conference office, working with championships as an intern following law school. She then moved into the compliance department, serving as Director of the NLI Program and Assistant SEC Commissioner for Compliance before returning to the Capstone in 1996.
Each trailblazer will be honored on court during halftime of their school's first game of the tournament, as well as with the full group of honorees on semifinal Saturday.
The SEC will have a year-long celebration of the anniversary of Title IX, the landmark legislation enacted half a century ago that has had a dramatic and lasting impact on opportunities for women in collegiate athletics.
Under the banner of "50th Anniversary of Title IX: Creating Opportunities," the SEC's celebration will include recognitions at Conference championship events, commemoration of achievements through online and social media channels, commemorative memorabilia and a collaboration with the SEC Network highlighting the advancement of women's sports.
