Alabama A&M Athletic Hall of Fame
Melody Dawson was a trailblazer for women in NCAA Division I athletics.
As a student at Lee High School in Huntsville, Ala. In the early 1970s, Dawson was tabbed as one of the city's top basketball prospects, receiving offers from Tennessee State and Fisk University.
Dawson, however, decided to pass on the opportunities at Tennessee State and Fisk, opting to remain in her hometown and attend Alabama A&M.
There was one problem:
At the time, Alabama A&M did not field a women's basketball program.
That was not enough to stop Dawson.
Following her freshman year at Alabama A&M, Dawson did research on Title IX laws, and developed a plan to push the university into establishing a basketball program for female student-athletes.
Dawson's efforts were successful.
After receiving more than 300 signatures on a petition, and meeting with Alabama A&M President Dr. Richard Morrison, Dawson helped assist Alabama A&M in establishing its first women's basketball team in 1976, where it was sanctioned under the American Intercollegiate Association for Women.
Dawson was a member of the first Alabama A&M women's basketball team, which was coached by hall of fame coach Betty Kelly-Austin.
