Hall of Fame
The Pioneers of Miner Women's Athletics hold a special place in the history of Missouri S&T as the university's first intercollegiate female student-athletes. Under the leadership of head coach Annette Caruso, these courageous women came together and broke ground to lay the foundation for women's athletics at the university.
Their journey began in 1974-75, when the university sponsored basketball and volleyball fielding a roster of eight and 14, respectfully. Dual-sport student-athletes Joy Ewens, Debbie Gower, and Carol Russell earned varsity letters for the inaugural teams.
During the formative years from 1974 through 1978, the volleyball team achieved notable success by winning 14 matches in just its third season, while the basketball team reached 12 victories in its fourth season. The dedication and perseverance of these women, at a time when women's athletics were marginalized, established the foundation that eventually expanded to nine intercollegiate female teams sponsored by the university.
Following a memorable reunion in 2017, which included awarding long overdue letterman jackets, the Pioneers of Miner Women's Athletics received the 2017-18 McGowan Visionary Award from the Great Lakes Valley Conference and were finalists for the prestigious NCAA Division II Award of Excellence.
