TCNJ Alumnae Honored in Conjunction with National Girls and Women in Sport Day

In February, the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletic Women in conjunction with the NJSIAA and New Jersey community colleges sponsored National Girls and Women in Sport Day (NGWSD). Among those honored that day were TCNJ Professor Emerita Lilyan Wright and former swimming standout Ava Kiss ’08.

A former professor, administrator, coach, and the founder of a number of women’s athletic programs at TCNJ, Wright was honored for her significant achievements in athletics and contributions to women’s sports.

Wright is a pioneer in the field of women’s intercollegiate sports. Arriving at the College in 1961, she was instrumental in the development of the health and physical education department (now called health and exercise science), which she once chaired. In addition to teaching and coaching, she served as the women’s athletic director, arranging team schedules, managing intramurals, and promoting leadership and teamwork among women.

Her many accomplishments have earned her a number of accolades, including the 1991 Pathfinder Award from the National Association for Girls’ and Women’s Sports.  She was inducted into the Temple University Hall of Fame in 1977 and is honored in TCNJ’s Athletic Hall of Fame as well. She is also a recipient of TCNJ’s Distinguished Service Award.

As a senior, Kiss etched her name into the swimming program’s history when she became the College’s first NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming national champion. She set a national Division III record in capturing the 2008 title in the 100 butterfly in 55.08. A member of the Lions’ 2008 Metropolitan Conference Championship Team, Kiss earned five All-America citations during her career.

A four-time TCNJ Scholar-Athlete, Kiss holds four individual school records and was a three-time team MVP. Named the Team and Metropolitan Conference Rookie of the Year in 2005, she is also part of a school-record-holding relay team and was named the Most Valuable Swimmer at the 2006 ECAC Division III Championships. She was also named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District At-Large Second Team for her accomplishments in the pool and in the classroom.

Wright and Kiss were honored at an awards brunch at Seton Hall University, and also attended TCNJ’s women’s basketball game at SHU against St. John’s University.

NGWSD began in 1987 as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women’s sports. Hyman died of Marfan’s Syndrome in 1986 while competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan. Since that time, NGWSD has evolved into a day to acknowledge the past and recognize current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation, and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.

NGWSD is jointly organized by the National Girls and Women in Sport Coalition. The coalition combines the experience and resources of the six premiere girls- and women-serving organizations in the United States: Girl Scouts of the USA, Girls Incorporated, the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, National Women’s Law Center, the Women’s Sports Foundation, and the YWCA USA.