How Birmingham-Southern Athletics is celebrating 50 years of Title IX

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Birmingham-Southern Athletics recognized the 50th anniversary of Title IX with their 2022 Hall of Fame inductees—four student-athletes and a coach who made their marks on a women’s athletic program at BSC. Read on to meet the winners and hear from the school’s first female Athletic Director.

Meet the new Hall of Famers

The hall of fame class—taking girl boss to a whole new level—is made up of five women representing women’s golf, softball, women’s lacrosse and women’s soccer.

The T.P. Pearson Hall of Fame Class of 2022 members are:

• Ashley Lovell Messenger ’11, Women’s Golf
• Chelsea Van Voorhis Nickles ’13, Women’s Lacrosse
• Eyrún Oddsdóttir ’03, Women’s Soccer
• Tyra Perry, 2002-2008 Women’s Softball Coach
• Alicia Plotky ’12, Women’s Soccer

Sheri Salmon, a 1985 BSC alum and associate athletic director and senior women’s administrator, received the Bob Strain Distinguished Service Award—given to an individual in recognition of their special contributions to the Athletic Department. Salmon served the Admission Office for 29 years before moving to the Athletic Office.

Kyndall Waters is BSC’s first female Athletic Director

Once unknown in the college athletic world, female athletic directors are becoming more common, but they are still far from the norm. According to the NCAA, 25% of college athletic directors are women.

Kyndall was born and raised in Homewood and played sports all throughout her life. She played volleyball at BSC and graduated to become assistant athletic director. She got her chance to lead BSC Athletics in 2016 and has been serving her alma mater since.

She is an inspiration for so many women entering the sports field. Here’s what advice she has:

“Stay true to yourself, do what you think is right and good, and surround yourself with people who want you to succeed.”

Kyndall Waters, Athletic Director, BSC

Breaking barriers for women

Waters is passionate about women being in positions to have their voices heard.

“The athletics world has a long way to go, having traditionally excluded women in leadership positions. Even today, there are sports organizations in our country and even in our community that specifically exclude women. Men in leadership roles must step up and speak out in the spaces to which they have access and make sure women are not only brought to, but are also welcomed around, the table.”

Kyndall Waters, Athletic Director, BSC for the Birmingham Business Journal

Something she, along with females all over the world, is ready to see more of is women in leadership—businesses promoting women, supporting women and acknowledging women as the phenomenal leaders that they are.

Women have an abundance of demands both personally and professionally, and although Walters says there is no magic solution for juggling it all, she credits BSC for the team she has that makes it much easier.

Want to be a part of all that’s happening at BSC? Learn more and apply on their website.

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