1846
The Auburn Female College (later the Auburn Masonic Female College) is built as a separate school for women
The original home of Langdon Hall, the largest auditorium in East Alabama in 1853.
1856
1866
1884
Dr. William LeRoy Broun persuades the Board of Trustees to consider allowing women to matriculate
Not full co-education, but only that “in a limited way” the “privilege be given to qualified young women to enjoy the advantages of instruction at Auburn.
1892
Women at Auburn 1892 – 1900
Click the title to read the story
1893
Dr. Broun reports that Auburn’s success was widely published in the state
Broun noted that the girls had proved “their ability successfully to cope with the best of their male competitors, and in some instances to obtain the mastery over them.” All..Read More
1894
For the first time ever, women graduate from Auburn with “degrees and all honors.”
Click the title to read “Women at Auburn 1900 – 1940.”
1895
1896
Willie Little ’94 marries George S. Clark ’92, the first marriage between Auburn grads
Click the title to read “Willie Little and 5 Generations at Auburn.”
1907
Class enrollment included 11% women
In 1907 10 out of 87 students were women.
1911
1915
Basketball is the first sport for women at Auburn
Click the title to read “A Brief History on Women’s Basketball.”
The first Auburn Women’s Tennis team is created
From the 1915 Glomerata: In Tennis, as well as basketball, our Co-eds have been greatly interested this year. The Club comprises most of the girls in college. From left to..Read More
1916
1918
1920
Auburn Women’s Basketball defeats Georgia in the first intercollegiate matchup
Click the title to read about team captain “Cutie” Brown Lee ’26.
1922
The Women’s Student Government Association is organized
Formed for 67 women in a class of 1,295, the WSGA was created to improve women’s conditions on campus.
1923
Gladys McCain – First Woman to Graduate in Home Economics
Click the title to read her story
1924
Smith Hall is converted into the first dormitory for women, affectionately called “the Zoo”
Click the title to read the story
1928
1929
Martha Haupt is voted “Miss Personality Plus,” believed to be the forerunner of Miss Auburn
Rather than win a scholarship, the recipient received the leading role in the school play.
1933
Four new Women’s dorms, known as “the Quad,” are built as part of several Public Works Administration projects obtained by President Duncan
Click the title to read “Home Away From Home.”
1935
1940
The First 3 AU women return to campus for the dedication of the new Women’s Quadrangle Dorms
Dedication-day ceremonies included a luncheon for Kate Teague Hagler, Willie Gertrude Little Clark and Katherine Conway Broun Fulgham. The dorms featured private baths between rooms, but the mirrors had not..Read More
1943
Auburn women during WWII
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1944
For the first time ever, there are more women (904) enrolled at A.P.I. than men (864)
There were 3,152 men participating in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and Naval radio and Aviation Training, though, keeping the ratio of men to women high.
Shirley Smith becomes the first female editor of the Plainsman, Jean Woodham ‘46 becomes the first coed to edit the Glomerata
Click the title to read about Jean Woodham.
1946
Katherine Cooper Cater arrives at A.P.I. as the new Dean of Women
Click the title to read the story
1950
Auburn Memory: Harvilee Harbarger ’53
Click the title to read the story
1953
1957
Several Auburn Football players are caught during a panty raid in a women’s dorm and are expelled
Halfback Lloyd Nix is moved to quarterback. The ensuing punishment bonds the team and coaches together, directly leading to the 1957 National Championship.
1961
Auburn Memory: Defying the Klan: JANIE FORSYTH MCKINNEY ’70
Click the title to read the story
1964
Auburn desegregates for the first time in its 100+ year history
Click the title to listen to interviews with Harold Franklin, the first African American student.
1966
Josetta Brittain Matthews becomes the first African-American woman to graduate from Auburn
Click the title to read her story
Auburn Memory: Teresa “Terry” Rodriguez ’69
Click the title to read her story
1969
Auburn Memory: Nelda Lee ’69
Click the title to read her story
1970
At the end of “Strike Day,” students outside the presidents’ house rouse President Philpott from his sleep to demand immediate action on women’s rules, including fewer dorm restrictions
Click the heading to read more about women’s rights on Auburn’s campus.
1972
Auburn Memory: Sophia Bracy Harris ’72
Click the title to read the story
1974
First Women’s Swim Team Forms
Click the title to read the story of Lisa Ross ’76, one of the inaugural co-captains.
Leah Rawls Atkins ’58 earns a Ph.D. in History from Auburn
Atkins is the first man or woman at Auburn to do so.
1975
Marianne Merritt ’79 is the first woman to earn a basketball scholarship to Auburn
Merritt was voted twice to the Coaches’ Top-20 team in the South and represented Auburn in the 2003 class of Women’s SEC Basketball Greats.
1976
Dr. Joanna Davenport is hired as the first full-time Women’s Athletic Director
Auburn Women compete in eight sports for the first time: basketball, golf, gymnastics, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
Auburn Memory: Auburn Women in Engineering
Click the title to read about women in engineering.
No more curfew for Auburn women
The Board of Trustees abolishes all curfews at women’s dorms, authorizes a plan for coed visitations in response to possible Title IX violations.
Auburn Memory: Tigerettes
click link to read about the first Auburn Tigerettes.
1978
Auburn Memory: Viki Woerner ’82 Friend of Aubie
Click the title to read her story
1979
Susan Karamanian ’79 is the first female Rhodes Scholar chosen from Auburn
Karamanian, named the outstanding student in economics, also played on the golf team. After earning a degree at Oxford in philosophy, politics and an economics and a law degree from..Read More
1984
Reita Clanton, 3 sport athlete at Auburn, becomes an olympian in team handball
Click the title to read her story
1985
Dr. Pat H. Barnes becomes the first female Vice President for Student Affairs
This is the first time that a woman has held a VP Position at Auburn.
1986
1988
1989
1991
1993
Auburn Women’s Gymnastics reaches the super six for the first time
Auburn Women’s Gymnastics wins the National Invitational Tournament Title, the first national athletic championship of any kind for Auburn women.
1996
Women’s Volleyball ties for 1st in the SEC West
Click the title to read Jaunelle White’s story, one of the Tiger’s top players.
1997
Auburn Softball’s inaugural season
Click to read the story of an Auburn Softball charter member Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson.
1999
2000
Sarah Wentworth wins SEC Gymnast of the Year
Click the title to read “How Could I Not Go? — Sarah Wentworth’s Journey.”
2002
Auburn Women’s Swimming & Diving wins the first of its 5 NCAA National Titles under Coach David Marsh
Click the title to read former Auburn swimmer Maggie Bowen’s story.
2004
Margaret Hoelzer swims the 200-meter backstroke in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece
Click the title to read her story
2006
The Auburn Equestrian team wins its first Varsity Equestrian Overall National Championship
The first of four national titles.
2008
Kerron Stewart ’07 wins Bronze in the 2008 Olympic Games
Click the title to read her story
2009
Auburn Women’s Basketball clinches the SEC Conference Title at home with a win over Tennessee
Click the title to read “You Learn To Take Care Of Each Other — DeWanna Bonner.”
2011
Women’s Soccer wins the SEC Tournament Championship
Click the title to read former Tiger Katy Freels’ story.
2015
2016
2017
Auburn competes in 2017 Air Race Classic
Click the title to read their story
FORMER AUBURN GOLFER CYDNEY CLANTON SHINES ON LPGA TOUR
Click the title to read her story
