Judith Holland (2010) - Hall of Fame

Judith Holland

Induction:
2010

Holland came to UCLA as the Women's Athletic Director in 1974 and later became the Senior Associate Athletic Director when the men's and women's departments merged in 1980. From 1975-79, she oversaw the women's athletic department and after the departments combined, she assumed major responsibilities for both men's and women's sports. Throughout her twenty-plus years at UCLA, Holland was regarded as the nation's foremost women's athletics administrator. In 1980, she was the driving force behind the merger between the AIAW and the NCAA, which is now responsible for the tremendous popularity and achievement of women's college athletics. Under her guidance, UCLA won the national combined program award, symbolic of the nation's top women's program, a record 10 times and finished no lower than second in the award's 17-year history. During that time, the Bruins won a total of 37 national championships. While at UCLA, Holland was the chair of the NCAA Women's Basketball committee (1989-93), chair of the Olympic Liaison Committee, vice-president of the Pac-10 Conference, and chair of the Pac-10 Gender Equity and Compliance Review Committees. She also served as Competition Director of the Olympic Games basketball venue in Los Angeles and as a member of the USA Basketball Board of Directors. Holland was the impetus behind UCLA hosting an NCAA record six championships in 1984 as part of the L.A. Olympic celebration. During Holland's tenure in Westwood, UCLA hosted more NCAA and Regional Championship events than any other university. Holland also founded and served as chair of the Honda Awards program that honors the nation's top female collegiate athletes each year. In 1990, she received the university's highest service award when she was honored by the UCLA Alumni Association.