GREENSBORO, N.C. – As part of our year-long salute to Title IX and in honor of Women's History Month, we will periodically look back at some of UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women Hall of Fame athletes.
Today, we'll look at Maxine Allen and Carol Mann, two of the most iconic Spartans to ever walk this campus.
Maxine Allen
Allen, a member of the UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame, attended UNCG from 1931-35 -- in its days as Women's College of North Carolina. She was one of the all-time greats in the sport of Duckpin Bowling, ranking No. 1 in the country in 1951. She won several tournaments, including the United States Classic, the Dixie Classic and the National Duckpin Bowling Congress All Events Championship. In 1962, Allen was inducted into the National Duckpin Bowling Congress Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1972. A graduate of the WC in 1935 with a bachelor of science, she was inducted into UNCG's Hall of Fame in 2001. Allen held more than 50 world records in duckpins for best scores in sets of consecutive games. She lived briefly in Phoenix, Arizona, and was Arizona Women's Bowling Association Champion in 1954 and 1955. She died in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1995.
Carol Mann
Mann, a 2002 inductee in UNCG's Athletics Hall of Fame was named the recipient of the 2008 PGA First Lady of Golf Award. Mann, 67, attended the Woman's College (now known as UNCG), and turned professional in 1960. She went on to win 38 championships from 1961 through 1981 on the LPGA Tour, including the 1964 Western Open and 1965 U.S. Open. The Buffalo, NY native was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame (1977) and the World Golf Hall of Fame (1998), and is a trustee and past president of the Women's Sports Foundation.
Among her many endeavors was joining other prominent female athletes in advocating gender equity through the Title IX Amendment of 1972 with three U.S. Presidents and with members of Congress.
From 1973 to 1976, Mann served as LPGA president, playing a key role in the formation of the modern LPGA, during which time the association selected its first commissioner and Board of Directors. Born the only daughter among five children to Louis and Ann Mann, Carol began playing golf at age nine and some of her first lessons were under the supervision of the late PGA of America teaching legend Bill Strausbaugh. An honorary member of the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Division, Mann was elected to PGA of America membership in 2002.
She was a golf analyst for NBC from 1977 through 1984 in assignments on the PGA, Champions and LPGA tours, and also worked for ABC and ESPN. From 1980 through 2002, Mann created and produced golf hospitality programs for Fortune 100 and 500 companies. She authored "The 19th Hole: Favorite Golf Stories" in 1992; wrote an award-winning golf column for the former Houston Post; and has been a frequent contributor to many other golf publications.
