Barbara Hedges

Hedges was the youngest of nine children in Glendale, Arizona and played semi-professional softball with the A-1 Queens. She was raised by a single father after her mother died when she was an infant.{{cite news |last1=Farrey |first1=Tom |title=Barbara Hedges -- In The Pink -- New Husky Ad Cut From Same Cloth As Lude |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19910526&slug=1285384 |access-date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=May 26, 1991}} Upon completing her Bachelor of Arts degree she immediately accepted a gymnastics coach position at a high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She returned to Arizona for her Master's degree and accepted an associate athletic director at the University of Southern California (USC) in 1974.{{cite news |last1=Dwyer |first1=Bill |title=She's a Winner : Six Months After Leaving USC, Hedges Has a Chance to Become First Female Athletic Director to Have Division I-A Football Champion |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-12-29-sp-2078-story.html |access-date=May 12, 2021 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=December 29, 1991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512195240/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-12-29-sp-2078-story.html |archive-date=May 12, 2021}}

Hedges served as the associate athletic director in charge of women's sports at USC from 1973 until 1985 when she was also promoted the director of men's sports program.{{cite web |title=NACWAA's Celebration of Leadership |url=https://denverpioneers.com/news/2009/8/10/NACWAA_s_Celebration_of_Leadership |website=denverpioneers.com |publisher=Denver Pioneers |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=August 10, 2009}} In this role, she collaborated with Judith Holland at the University of California, Los Angeles, to jointly market USC and UCLA women's sports. In 1989, she was promoted to senior associate director of athletics at USC. In this role, she designed a $2 raffle for a Mercedes that brought in more than $100,000 each year for women's sports and created "Women of Troy," a group of more than 300 donors who give $1,500 each annually to the program. By the time she left USC, women sports had won 13 national team championships, 68 individual national championships, and graduated an estimated 150 All-American and 36 Olympians.

Hedges left USC in 1991 to become the first female athletic director in charge at a football-playing NCAA Division I school at the University of Washington (UW).{{cite web |last1=Sinrud |first1=Christine |title=Barbara Hedges takes the helm as UW athletic director |url=https://magazine.washington.edu/feature/barbara-hedges-takes-the-helm-as-uw-athletic-director/ |website=magazine.washington.edu |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=September 1991}}{{cite news |last1=Florence |first1=Mal |title=There Has Been Little Hedging on Hedges |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-11-sp-586-story.html |access-date=May 12, 2021 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 11, 1991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512200846/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-11-sp-586-story.html |archive-date=May 12, 2021}} She was chosen for the position due to the advocacy of William Gerberding, then the president at Washington, as the Board preferred male candidates.{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Les |title=Endurance test: UW's Hedges is vague about her future |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20031221&slug=hedges21 |access-date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=Seattle Times |date=December 21, 2003}} Upon accepting the position, she generated revenue through UW's football program in order to fund both men's and women's sports teams.{{cite web |last1=Marmor |first1=Jon |title=Fair play |url=https://magazine.washington.edu/feature/at-the-uw-womens-sports-are-finally-on-equal-footing/ |website=magazine.washington.edu |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=September 1996}} After signing a three-year contract with UW, worth $110,000 per year, Hedges hired Teresa Wilson to lead the new women's softball program.{{cite news |title=Hedges' History: A timeline |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Hedges-History-A-timeline-1134249.php |access-date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=January 9, 2004}} While serving as UW's athletic director, Hedges also became the first woman to serve as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and sit on the board of directors for the National Football Foundation. She also served as president of the Council of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators and the Western Collegiate Athletic Association. In recognition of her achievements, Hedges was the recipient of the 2000 Honda Award of Merit.{{cite web |title=Washington AD Barbara Hedges Wins Honda Award of Merit |url=https://gohuskies.com/sports/2000/5/16/208009170.aspx |website=gohuskies.com |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=May 16, 2000}}

In her second year as athletic director, Hedges oversaw a scandal involving UW quarterback Billy Joe Hobert who had accepted a $50,000 loan.{{cite news |last1=Fancher |first1=Michael R. |title=On Billy Joe Hobert: A UW Investigation Or Damage Control? |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19921115&slug=1524678 |access-date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=Seattle Times |date=November 15, 1992}} She subsequently hired a law firm to investigate the offenses and Pac-10 prohibited UW football for two seasons in their conference. As a result of the sanctions, football coach Don James resigned in protest and the athletics department estimated they would lose out $1.4 million in TV revenue.{{cite web |last1=Griffin |first1=Tom |title=UW football program moves on after stinging Pac-10 sanctions |url=https://magazine.washington.edu/uw-football-program-moves-on-after-stinging-pac-10-sanctions/ |website=magazine.washington.edu |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=December 1, 1993}} She hired Jim Lambright following James's resignation but fired him after the Huskies went 6–6 for the 1998 season.{{cite news |last1=Frei |first1=Terry |title=Hedges stands by her man |url=https://extras.denverpost.com/scolumns/frei0909.htm |access-date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=Denver Post |date=September 9, 1999}}

Hedges then hired football coach Rick Neuheisel who then led the Huskies to a 2001 Rose Bowl victory. However, within weeks of his arrival, he was under investigation for gambling on the NCAA basketball tournament. It was later revealed that he had placed bets of more than $5,000 in a gambling pool for NCAA basketball tournaments in 2001 and 2002. She subsequently fired Neuheisel on July 25, 2003, who then filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against UW and the NCAA.{{cite web |title=Barbara Hedges takes surprise retirement as UW athletic director |url=https://magazine.washington.edu/feature/barbara-hedges-takes-surprise-retirement-as-uw-athletic-director/ |website=magazine.washington.edu |access-date=May 12, 2021}} The case was settled out of court on March 7, 2005, with Neuheisel receiving a $3 million payment.{{cite web |title=UW, NCAA settle lawsuit over Neuheisel firing |url=https://magazine.washington.edu/uw-ncaa-settle-lawsuit-over-neuheisel-firing/ |website=magazine.washington.edu |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=June 1, 2005}} That was not the only controversy regarding the 2001 Rose Bowl as the Washington State Executive Ethics Board agreed that Richard L. McCormick and Hedges violated provisions of the state's Executive Ethics Law while traveling.{{cite web |last1=Roseth |first1=Bob |title=UW, Ethics Board reach settlement on bowl game allegations |url=https://www.washington.edu/news/2001/12/14/uw-ethics-board-reach-settlement-on-bowl-game-allegations/ |website=washington.edu |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=December 14, 2001}} She subsequently promoted offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson to succeed Neuheisel but later admonished him for betting in a $5 NCAA basketball pool.{{cite news |last1=Korte |first1=Tim |title=UW's Hedges calls it quits early |url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2004/01-10/372539_uw_s_hedges_calls_it_quits_earl.html |access-date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=Kitsap Sun |date=January 10, 2004}}

Hedges resigned from her position in 2004 following more controversy with men's coaches. She terminated the contract of softball coach Teresa Wilson after there were accusations that he ordered the physician to hand out painkillers and medications to softball players without first examining them. Upon her retirement, Hedges became the longest-serving female athletic director among NCAA Division I programs.

Following her retirement, Hedges moved to Palm Desert, California and became a member of Ironwood Country Club.{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Jim |title=Go 2 Guy: Hedges at ease with UW legacy |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/football/article/Go-2-Guy-Hedges-at-ease-with-UW-legacy-1247429.php |access-date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=August 22, 2007}} She was honored by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators and was selected to be the recipient of the James J. Corbett Memorial Award.{{cite web |title=NACDA Honors Former Washington AD Barbara Hedges with the Corbett Award |url=https://nacda.com/news/2010/4/20/NACDA_Honors_Former_Washington_AD_Barbara_Hedges_with_the_Corbett_Award.aspx |website=nacda.com |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=April 20, 2010}} She returned to USC in 2013 to serve as co-chair of the athletic department's Heritage Initiative fundraising effort.{{cite web |last1=Ho |first1=Minnie |title=Barbara Hedges returns to Troy |url=https://news.usc.edu/47389/barbara-hedges-returns-to-troy/ |website=ews.usc.edu |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=March 1, 2013}}

Hedges was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012{{cite web |title=USC Athletic Hall of Fame welcomes its 10th class of inductees |url=https://news.usc.edu/35243/usc-athletic-hall-of-fame-welcomes-its-10th-class-of-inductees/ |website=news.usc.edu |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=May 23, 2012}} and the Pac-12 Hall of Honor in 2020.{{cite web |title=Former USC Women's Athletics Administrator Barbara Hedges Named to Pac-12 Hall of Honor |url=https://usctrojans.com/news/2020/3/4/usc-trojans-barbara-hedges-pac-12-hall-of-honor-2020.aspx |website=usctrojans.com |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=March 4, 2020}}

Hedges married her high school sweetheart John in 1957.

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Category:Living people

Category:People from Glendale, Arizona

Category:Arizona State University alumni

Category:Washington Huskies athletic directors

Category:Women college athletic directors in the United States

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)