Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/724761
17 T o Gayle Blevins, winning soball games is like eating chocolate. "Aer you have a taste of it, you want it again," she said. With Blevins leading University of Iowa soball from 1988-2010, the program devoured 945 pieces of chocolate, made 16 NCAA appearances, won five Big Ten regular season championships, and reached the College World Series four times. Blevins was inducted into the National Iowa Varsity Club Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 2. "What I appreciate about the Hall of Fame is that it validates all the women who played for me and their many accomplishments," Blevins said. "How nice it is to be valued. It is a way the university recognizes that it appreciates what you did during the time you were here. I view it as an award for all of us; for all the women that wore the black and gold. I'm honored to receive that on behalf of them." e Hawkeyes never had a losing record in 23 seasons under Blevins. ey won 40-or more games 13 times and 50-or more games three times. She was named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year in 1989, 1997, and 2000 and National Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1991. e sport of choice for Blevins in high school and at the University of Dayton was volleyball. In college she also participated in basketball, tennis, and soball. Aer graduation, she remained in the state of Ohio to teach and coach at Stebbins High School for five years before accepting a position as assistant soball coach at Indiana University. e Hoosiers played in the College World Series in 1979 and Blevins took over as head coach the following season. From 1980-87, Indiana went 301-146, winning three conference titles and advancing to the College World Series three times. Iowa's head soball position opened in 1987 aer the Hawkeyes went 30-26-1 overall, 12-12 in the Big Ten. Blevins queried the UI on behalf of an assistant coach, but Iowa was looking for someone with head coaching experience. And, out of curiosity, the Hawkeye administrator on the phone wondered if Blevins was interested in moving to a league rival. "I said, 'I think I'm OK here,'" Blevins told Linda Hackett, an associate director of athletics for women's athletics. "Later, I called and asked if the position was still open. Two days later I interviewed." Although Blevins was torn about moving further from family in Ohio, there were two intangibles pulling her to the University of Iowa: Dr. Christine Grant and fans. "I wanted to know what it was like to serve under (Grant), who was so well thought of and was such a mover and shaker in women's athletics," Blevins said. "Having coached against Iowa, I saw the fan support. I thought how wonderful for women athletes to be just as valued as the men." Blevins observed evidence of support for Iowa women's athletics Feb. 3, 1985, when 22,157 people stuffed into Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a women's basketball game against Ohio State. "at was big talk that day in the office at Indiana University," Blevins said. ree years later, Blevins fielded advice from the UI women's basketball coach at the time, C. Vivian Stringer. e Hawkeye soball team was in a 0-8- 1 stretch when Stringer phoned Blevins.