Hopkins Grad To Be Honored at Girls and Women in Sports Day

A Hopkins graduate is among those being honored at the 2013 Minnesota National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

1973 graduate Toni St. Pierre will receive a special merit award for her work breaking down barriers that prevented girls and women from playing sports. At the time she was in school, there were few girls teams and Title IX was not yet under consideration.

In 1972, she and Peg Brenden convinced the American Civil Liberties Union to represent them in a lawsuit against the Minnesota State High School League. That lawsuit allowed her to compete on the boys’ cross running and skiing teams at Hopkins Eisenhower High School—and created national news that helped lead to Title IX legislation.

St. Pierre was also the state champion in the half mile and mile races in 1973, and she sat the national record in the half mile with a time of 2:18.3.

She also competed in numerous local and national marathons, and started competing in triathlons in 2009, qualified for nationals in her age group.

Hopkins High School inducted St. Pierre into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

St. Pierre will be recognized at a ceremony that takes place from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 6 at the State Capitol Rotunda.

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2013 Minnesota National Girls and Women in Sports Day Honorees

The Marie Berg Award for Excellence in Education  

• Anna Anderson, Fridley

The Girls’ and Women’s Sports in the Media Award 

• Donny Henn, Rochester Post-Bulletin

The Wilma Rudolph Award for Courage and Inspiration 

• Amy Gardner

Special Merit Award 

• Cheryl Reeve & The Minnesota Lynx

Special Merit Award 

• Marilyn Pearson Florian, Augsburg College

Special Merit Award 

• Faith Johnson-Patterson, DeLaSalle High School

Special Merit Award 

• Toni St. Pierre, Girls' and Women's Sports Advocate

Breaking Barriers Awards

• Dawn Engbretson, Rockford Area Schools
• Mary Beth Holmberg, Morris Area Schools
• Brenda Holmgren, Elk River School District
• Tracy Hrouda, Harding High School
• Dr. Jill P. Johnson, Wayzata Public Schools
• Wendy Kohler, Alexandria Public Schools
• Janna LaFountaine, College of Saint Benedict
• Michael Miller, Van Cleve Recreation Center
• Ann Miller, Pipestone High School
• Mary Beth Mitteco, Totino Grace High School
• Jen Rademacher, Robbinsdale Cooper High School
• Lynn Swanson, Vadnais Heights Park and Recreation program
• Doreen Zierer, Bagley High School