The Coast Guard Academy Athletic Department will host its second annual Women's LeadHERship Symposium on Tuesday, Jan. 23, as prominent women in the field of college athletics will meet on campus for a panel discussion.

Alfreeda Goff, senior associate commissioner/chief of staff of the Horizon League will conduct the symposium while the keynote speaker will be Joan Cronan, women's athletic director emeritus at the University of Tennessee.

Other panelists are Amanda Braun, executive associate athletic director at Northeastern, Lori Ebihara, senior associate athletic director/senior woman administrator at Maryland and China Jude, vice president of athletics at Queen College.

Charlie Robert, director of athletics at Nichols College, and Laurie Priest, director of athletics at Mount Holyoke, will conduct breakout sessions.

"Here at the Coast Guard Academy, we were both pleased and honored to be able to present the Women's LeadHERship Symposium for the second straight year," Coast Guard director of athletics said Tim Fitzpatrick said. "It is a fine event, that gives our coaches and academy staff a great chance to learn from a strong faculty of women who have achieved great things in the world of intercollegiate athletics.

"It was very gratifying to see such a free exchange of thoughts and ideas last year and we look forward to another great experience this year."

In the summer of 2011, history was made when Rear Admiral Sandra L. Stosz became the first female superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy. She is also the first female superintendent at any of the service Academies.

Coast Guard became the first service academy to enroll women in 1975. At the time only one women's varsity sport (gymnastics) was offered.

This fall, 968 cadets are enrolled and 32 percent are women. Coast Guard currently supports 23 varsity athletic teams, (11 men's, nine women's and 3 co-ed).

- Day Staff Reports