MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Madison is celebrating 50 years of its women’s athletics programs.

It’s a journey that dates all the way back to 1895, when coach Andrew O’Dea consented to being the women’s boating crew coach. Women’s basketball was soon to follow in 1897.

But it wasn’t until March 1, 1974, when the Athletic Board approved the inclusion of a 12-sport women’s program, that women’s athletics became official at UW.

With a budget of $118,000, Director of Women’s Athletics, Dr. Kit Saunders and all 12 sports moved into Camp Randall Stadium later that July.

The first 12 sports included badminton, basketball, cross-country, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, rowing, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and volleyball.

During this time, many female athletes weren’t offered scholarships, and they often had to buy their own uniforms or share with other sports.

In 1976, the first partial scholarships were given to the UW women’s basketball team. That grew to 62 total available scholarships in multiple sports by 1977-78.

The NCAA and the Big Ten Conference officially recognized women’s athletics and sanctioned national and conference championships in 1981-82. Women’s athletics have earned several national championship team titles since the start, with hockey earning seven, lightweight rowing with five, rowing with two, cross-country with two and volleyball with one.

There are still 12 women’s athletic programs included at UW-Madison, but some have changed over the years.

Field hockey was dropped in 1980 for women’s soccer. After winning the national title in March 1983, badminton was dropped. Then, fencing and gymnastics were dropped in 1991 due to budget constraints at the time.

Currently, women’s programs include basketball, cross-country, golf, hockey, lightweight rowing, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and volleyball.