Rita Kay Thomas was a pioneer in women’s athletics. Hired in September 1974, Thomas was the Assistant Athletic Director for Women’s Sports and head coach of the women’s tennis team and an integral member of the athletics administration until her retirement in 2001. Under Thomas’ leadership, women’s sports in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics at Rutgers University grew from its inaugural seven teams to 443 female student-athletes across 15 Division I programs.
Thomas arrived at Rutgers two years after the university became a coeducational institution and the passing of Title IX in 1972. She was hired as Rutgers’ first director of women’s athletics responsible for all aspects of administration and leadership of the original women’s programs, including the hiring and evaluation of coaches, scheduling, game contracts, eligibility of student-athletes and budgeting all while serving as the head coach of the women’s tennis program, including one undefeated season. Among her numerous duties were overseeing the expansion of full-time staff positions, serving on the admission committee for prospective student-athletes, managing the student-athlete insurance program, acting as a member of academic committees and administering the department awards programs. Additionally, under her watch, women’s athletics successfully transitioned from the AIAW to the NCAA.
Later in her career, Thomas moved from the role of a sport administrator to running the university’s compliance program with oversight of Rutgers’ 27 men’s and women’s sports while serving as an advisor to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Title IX liaison.
During her tenure, Thomas represented Rutgers at state, regional and national organizations for women’s athletics and championships. She was a member of the National Association of Women’s Collegiate Athletic Administrators and President of the NJAIAW chapter.
