May 6, 2003

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that it has renamed the All-Sports Women’s Trophy the Marjorie Giles Women’s Sports Championship Trophy. The Conference also unveiled the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Sports Championship Trophy that will be presented annually to the Conference school displaying overall excellence in men’s and women’s sports for a given academic year.

Marjorie Giles is a former Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) from Central College serving from 1981-98. During her tenure as an FAR, she participated in writing of the Conference Constitution to include women’s athletics and to establish women’s Championships. She was the first female to serve as President of the Iowa Conference and was actively involved with the NCAA serving on several committees and on the Management Council.

“Marjorie Giles has had a tremendous impact on the philosophical development and direction of the intercollegiate athletic programs in the Iowa Conference,” IIAC Commissioner John Cochrane said. “She played an integral role in the introduction and establishment of women’s Championships in the Conference and was greatly respected nationwide as an advocate for student-athletes and the NCAA Division III philosophy. The Iowa Conference is proud to name the Women’s Sports Championship Trophy in Marjorie’s honor as a lasting tribute to her contributions.”

The Women’s Sports Championship Trophy, first awarded in 1982-83, is presented annually to the Conference member that accumulates the most points in women’s sports. Points for the Marjorie Giles Women’s Sports Championship Trophy and its men’s sports counterpart, the Elmer Hertel Men’s Sports Championship Trophy, are awarded based on each schools’ finish in the final Conference standings for each Conference sport with a first place finish worth 10 points, a second place finish worth nine points on down to one point for a 10th place finish.

The Elmer Hertel Men’s Sports Championship Trophy was first awarded in 1970-71 and was renamed to honor the former Wartburg College coach in 1981. Dr. Hertel served as the Iowa Conference secretary-treasurer from 1944-1981.

The winner of the IIAC All-Sports Championship Trophy will be determined by assigning a point value to each school’s finish in the Elmer Hertel Trophy and the Marjorie Giles Trophy standings. Ten points will be awarded for a first place finish, nine points for a second place finish on down to one point for a 10th place finish.

The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Sports Championship Trophy will be awarded for the first time upon conclusion of the IIAC’s spring sports season. Current Elmer Hertel and Marjorie Giles standings are here.

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