University of Colorado Athletics
Jane Wahl (left) with Ceal Barry in 2014.
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Jane Wahl, CU’s First Women’s AD, Passes Away
August 31, 2026 | General, Alumni C Club
Led the merger of women's programs with the men's after Title IX passed
BOULDER (Aug. 31) – Jane Wahl, the first women's athletic director at the University of Colorado after Title IX was passed into law and who led the program's transition into a merger with the men's, passed away on August 26 in Gothenburg, Neb. She was 81.
Inducted into CU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, she was named the Coordinator of Women's Sports, under the direction of the CU Rec Center in 1974, and a year later, she was officially appointed the first Women's Athletic Director in CU history, a role she would serve in from 1975-79.
Wahl had plenty to navigate, as first it was solely a position within the rec center, then a hybrid position between the Rec Center and Athletic Department until all varsity sports came under one umbrella in the latter. She was charged with hiring coaches for those club sports that would earn varsity status, working with those coaches and teams on all facets of their program, including budgets, scheduling and travel.
Title IX had passed into law in 1972, with deadline in summer of 1978 for schools to comply or face the loss of federal funding; she was responsible with being the point-person to bring CU into compliance and coordinate the transition into merging with the men's program. She worked to get Colorado membership in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (or AIAW, the women's version of the NCAA) and the Intermountain Conference, which had members in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Idaho and New Mexico. CU enjoyed much success across the board in most of its fledgling women's varsity programs, particularly basketball, cross country, gymnastics, skiing, tennis and track.
She worked closely with men's athletic director Eddie Crowder to grow the women's budget from less than $100,000 when she took over to over four times that in 1978-79, when all the women's sports with varsity status were officially merged with the men's.
She was honored with the Sportswomen of Colorado's 2013 Dorothy Mauk Pioneer Award for her role in starting and advancing women's varsity athletics at Colorado. In 2014, she was the recipient of CU's inaugural award named in her honor (the Jane Wahl Legacy Award), presented to a member of the CU women's basketball community, who through their achievements bring honor and recognition to the university and CU Athletics.
"Jane Wahl worked tirelessly alongside Eddie Crowder from 1974 to 1979 to assist in meeting mandates from the U.S. Department of Education to fulfill the requirements of Title IX," said Ceal Barry, CU's long-time women's basketball coach and administrator. "She was a real force for the university regarding gender equity in the 70s."
It was Barry's idea to create the award in Wahl's honor. "We felt it was appropriate as Jane was the person responsible for ushering in all the various requirements of Title IX and advocating for equity for women competing at the collegiate level."
"This is a virtual dream come true," Wahl said at her CU Hall of Fame induction. "I was a youngster on the flat plains of Nebraska who loved running, swinging the bat and playing shortstop. I wanted other women to experience that same joy. Opportunities beyond my imagination soon unfolded. I am honored that I played a part in developing the athletic institution here at the University of Colorado that has benefited many in so many ways."
After resigning her position in the spring of 1979, she remained at CU to complete her Doctorate of Education in August of 1981. Her thesis was on Title IX, where she examined the status of women's intercollegiate athletic programs nationwide following the passage of the law. She was then hired as Associate Professor of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Women's Athletic Director and Softball Coach at Linfield (Ore.) College. After two years, she decided to move back to her native Nebraska and her roots in Eustis.
After previously falling love with Colorado, in 1986 she returned to the Centennial State where she worked in administration for the C Lazy U Guest Ranch in Granby. For five years she fulfilled the requirements that kept the ranch as a 5-Star/5-Diamond-ranked resort facility. In 1991, she returned to Eustis, to help her mother while living in close proximity to her dad in the final months of his life.
Colorado came calling a third time, moving the Grand County where she worked as a pastor's secretary at Winter Park Christian Church. She remained in the state through 2001, both working and caring for an aging aunt and then her mother. In 2001, realizing her mom was more cognizant when in her home surroundings in Eustis, they returned to Eustis until both passed in 2004. She then relocated to Gothenburg, where she cared for clients under the Agency on Aging. She would become a world traveler, making trips to Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Israel and Hawaii.
Born Jane Kathleen Wahl in Lexington, Neb. in 1945, the closest hospital to Eustis, where she grew up on a farm and graduated from Eustis High School in 1963. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Kearney State College (now University of Nebraska - Kearney) in 1967; and completed a Master of Arts degree in the same discipline from Colorado State College (now the University of Northern Colorado) in 1968. She then both taught and coached for six years at Thornridge High School in Dolton, Ill., before taking the position at CU.
Survivors include an older sister DeeAnn (Oliver) Holbein of Cozad, Nebraska, a younger brother Jon Wahl of Eustis, two nieces and two nephews, six great-nieces, two great-nephews and multiple great-great nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Daniel and Louise (nee Uebele) Wahl, and her grandparents (Jacob and Pauline (nee Zeeh) Wahl and Ernest and Louise (nee Gutekunst) Uebele.
A remembrance service was held Monday, August 31 at the Gothenburg First Baptist Church, and she was laid to rest in the Eustis Cemetery, next to previously departed family members. Memorials may be made to the Women's Resource Center, 209 McNeel Lane, North Platte, Nebraska 69101.
Inducted into CU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, she was named the Coordinator of Women's Sports, under the direction of the CU Rec Center in 1974, and a year later, she was officially appointed the first Women's Athletic Director in CU history, a role she would serve in from 1975-79.
Wahl had plenty to navigate, as first it was solely a position within the rec center, then a hybrid position between the Rec Center and Athletic Department until all varsity sports came under one umbrella in the latter. She was charged with hiring coaches for those club sports that would earn varsity status, working with those coaches and teams on all facets of their program, including budgets, scheduling and travel.
Title IX had passed into law in 1972, with deadline in summer of 1978 for schools to comply or face the loss of federal funding; she was responsible with being the point-person to bring CU into compliance and coordinate the transition into merging with the men's program. She worked to get Colorado membership in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (or AIAW, the women's version of the NCAA) and the Intermountain Conference, which had members in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Idaho and New Mexico. CU enjoyed much success across the board in most of its fledgling women's varsity programs, particularly basketball, cross country, gymnastics, skiing, tennis and track.
She worked closely with men's athletic director Eddie Crowder to grow the women's budget from less than $100,000 when she took over to over four times that in 1978-79, when all the women's sports with varsity status were officially merged with the men's.
She was honored with the Sportswomen of Colorado's 2013 Dorothy Mauk Pioneer Award for her role in starting and advancing women's varsity athletics at Colorado. In 2014, she was the recipient of CU's inaugural award named in her honor (the Jane Wahl Legacy Award), presented to a member of the CU women's basketball community, who through their achievements bring honor and recognition to the university and CU Athletics.
"Jane Wahl worked tirelessly alongside Eddie Crowder from 1974 to 1979 to assist in meeting mandates from the U.S. Department of Education to fulfill the requirements of Title IX," said Ceal Barry, CU's long-time women's basketball coach and administrator. "She was a real force for the university regarding gender equity in the 70s."
It was Barry's idea to create the award in Wahl's honor. "We felt it was appropriate as Jane was the person responsible for ushering in all the various requirements of Title IX and advocating for equity for women competing at the collegiate level."
"This is a virtual dream come true," Wahl said at her CU Hall of Fame induction. "I was a youngster on the flat plains of Nebraska who loved running, swinging the bat and playing shortstop. I wanted other women to experience that same joy. Opportunities beyond my imagination soon unfolded. I am honored that I played a part in developing the athletic institution here at the University of Colorado that has benefited many in so many ways."
After resigning her position in the spring of 1979, she remained at CU to complete her Doctorate of Education in August of 1981. Her thesis was on Title IX, where she examined the status of women's intercollegiate athletic programs nationwide following the passage of the law. She was then hired as Associate Professor of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Women's Athletic Director and Softball Coach at Linfield (Ore.) College. After two years, she decided to move back to her native Nebraska and her roots in Eustis.
After previously falling love with Colorado, in 1986 she returned to the Centennial State where she worked in administration for the C Lazy U Guest Ranch in Granby. For five years she fulfilled the requirements that kept the ranch as a 5-Star/5-Diamond-ranked resort facility. In 1991, she returned to Eustis, to help her mother while living in close proximity to her dad in the final months of his life.
Colorado came calling a third time, moving the Grand County where she worked as a pastor's secretary at Winter Park Christian Church. She remained in the state through 2001, both working and caring for an aging aunt and then her mother. In 2001, realizing her mom was more cognizant when in her home surroundings in Eustis, they returned to Eustis until both passed in 2004. She then relocated to Gothenburg, where she cared for clients under the Agency on Aging. She would become a world traveler, making trips to Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Israel and Hawaii.
Born Jane Kathleen Wahl in Lexington, Neb. in 1945, the closest hospital to Eustis, where she grew up on a farm and graduated from Eustis High School in 1963. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Kearney State College (now University of Nebraska - Kearney) in 1967; and completed a Master of Arts degree in the same discipline from Colorado State College (now the University of Northern Colorado) in 1968. She then both taught and coached for six years at Thornridge High School in Dolton, Ill., before taking the position at CU.
Survivors include an older sister DeeAnn (Oliver) Holbein of Cozad, Nebraska, a younger brother Jon Wahl of Eustis, two nieces and two nephews, six great-nieces, two great-nephews and multiple great-great nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Daniel and Louise (nee Uebele) Wahl, and her grandparents (Jacob and Pauline (nee Zeeh) Wahl and Ernest and Louise (nee Gutekunst) Uebele.
A remembrance service was held Monday, August 31 at the Gothenburg First Baptist Church, and she was laid to rest in the Eustis Cemetery, next to previously departed family members. Memorials may be made to the Women's Resource Center, 209 McNeel Lane, North Platte, Nebraska 69101.
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Sunday, August 30