2023 Black & Gold Award
Janet Steck Nuzman 1949 Another pioneer in women’s sports, Janet attended Topeka High, prior to the inclusion of girls’ sports in schools. Regardless, she was an active member and leader of many extracurricular clubs and activities. Janet was a member of the Senior Girls Council, Honor Pep Club, and Senior Leader of “Girls in Green” a club promoting Girls Physical Education and Sports. All of this was a prelude to her college and career aspirations academically and athletically. Janet graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education, followed that by a Master of Science Degree in Education/Physical Education from Kansas University. After a brief stint as the first girls’ basketball coach at Highland Park High School, Janet joined the Washburn University’s Women’s Physical Education Department in 1962. It is there where she became a true pioneer in Women’s Sport by organizing, developing, and becoming the Head Coach of multiple sports: Gymnastics (‘68-’70), Field Hockey (‘68-70), Basketball (‘69-’70), Softball (‘70-’71), and Volleyball (‘69-’81). Janet is a member of the Washburn Athletic Hall of Fame and the Highland Park Teacher Hall of Fame. Ultimately, Janet would be recognized posthumously by both the NCAA and the MIAA as a “Title IX Champion.”