Ruth H. Alexander | |
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| Born | Wanda Ruth Hammack April 17, 1938 |
| Died | April 20, 2021 (aged 83) |
| Education | Milligan College University of Kentucky |
| Known for | Distinguished professor of physical education Lady Gators program Founding member of the Florida Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, including F. King Alexander |
| Awards | President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Lifetime Achievement Award (2013) |
| Honors | Florida Women's Hall of Fame National Association of Sport and Physical Education’s Hall of Fame (1987) Milligan College Athletics Hall of Fame (1998) |
Ruth Hammack Alexander (April 17, 1938–April 20, 2021) was an American activist for women in collegiate sports. She established the "Lady Gator Athletic" program at the University of Florida to allow women to participate in intercollegiate athletics for the first time.
Alexander earned her master's degree and a doctorate before joining the faculty of the University of Florida where she earned the title of Distinguished Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences. From there, she spearheaded a campaign to allow equal opportunities for female athletes to compete at the University of Florida in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. President Richard Nixon appointed her to sit on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition and she founded the Florida Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
She was inducted into the National Association of Sport and Physical Education's Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Milligan College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2012, Alexander was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame.