Athletics: Women’s Varsity O Alumnae Society Announces Awards – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio State Women’s Varsity O group recognized two individuals for their contributions to Ohio State women’s athletics.
Barbara Bogart Hollmann will be presented the Phyllis Bailey Career Achievement Award for her contributions to the advancement of female student-athletes on a national scale, while Kristin Watt will be the recipient of the Barbie Tootle Buckeye Spirit Award. The pair will be honored Sept. 6 during the football team’s game vs. Ohio.
The Phyllis Bailey Career Achievement Award pays tribute and extends recognition to those individuals who, through their careers, have contributed to the honor and fame of The Ohio State University through the field of athletics by continuing to demonstrate, in their daily lives, the values learned in intercollegiate athletics and have continued the advancement of women’s athletics.
Hollmann, the second recipient of the award, dedicated her career to the advancement of women’s athletics on a national scale. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ohio State prior to earning a doctorate at the University of Arizona. Hollman recently retired after 23 years of service at the University of Montana, where she served as associate director of athletics and vice president for student affairs/dean of students. Hollmann played club softball and field hockey at Ohio State in the early 1960’s since varsity intercollegiate athletic programs did not exist for women at that time. While at Arizona in the mid-1970’s, Hollmann served as the executive assistant and athletics events coordinator for the women’s athletics director. Title IX was in its early stages and Hollmann had the opportunity to work with the leaders to assist with its organization. In 1980, Hollmann moved to the University of Montana to become associate director of athletics, as the acceptance of women in the NCAA took place in 1981. She was the founding president of the Mountain West Athletic Conference, one of the first women’s conferences, and was later involved with merging this conference with the Big Sky Conference. Hollmann also served on several NCAA committees, including the Executive Committee, and was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame.
The Barbie Tootle Buckeye Spirit Award was created by the Varsity O Women’s Alumnae to recognize those individuals who have demonstrated unconditional loyalty and support of women’s athletics at The Ohio State University.
Watt was the first president of Women’s Varsity O in 1992 and served the board for 10 years. Watt’s passion for Ohio State began when she was a four-year letter winner for the women’s basketball team from 1981-1985, serving as co-captain from 1984-1985. Because of her strategic knowledge of the game, she has been “the voice” of Buckeye women’s basketball, providing commentary for 21 years.
As a successful attorney with more than 19 years experience, Watt was named by Chambers USA as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the Natural Resources Area of Law in 2007 and 2008 and has been recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of environmental law in 2008. She was also recognized by Business First for their “Forty under 40” award in 1994. She has also served the Ohio State Bar Association and Columbus Bar Association in various committee capacities and has been a Fellow of the Columbus Bar Foundation since 1998. Watt received her J.D. with honors from The Ohio State University College of Law and her B.S.B.A. cum laude from The Ohio State University. She is a partner with Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP.
Watt’s dedication to the University is exemplified by her service to: The Ohio State University Alumni Board Nominating Committee, National Letters Winner Conference Planning Committee, The Ohio State University Alumni Advisory Board, The Ohio State University Athletic Council – Alumni Representative, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law National Council and The Ohio State University Golf Course Green Committee. She is also a trustee of Opera Columbus and serves as a mentor through Northwest Mentoring Services.
