1 Legacy Honored: Washington College Renames SWA Position for Penny J. Fall

Washington College Athletics has officially renamed its Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) position to the Penny J. Fall SWA, honoring the late administrator who was instrumental in building the department’s female sports programs. The position is currently held by Alisha Mosley, who serves as assistant athletic director, Director of Compliance, and Head Women’s Basketball Coach.

Establishing Women’s Athletics at Washington College

Penny J. Fall served the institution from 1969 to 2001, a period that saw the department expand its women’s sports offerings from zero to nine programs. She oversaw the 1974 launch of women’s rowing, predating the NCAA’s official sponsorship of women’s sports by seven years. During her tenure, Fall managed athletic training, equipment, game management, and scheduling, while also coaching volleyball, softball, and women’s tennis. Her work in advancing gender equity during the first decade of Title IX earned her recognition from the Governor of Maryland in 1984.

Thad Moore, the Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics, noted that while his time working with Fall was brief, her influence on the department remained evident. “Naming the Senior Woman Administrator in her honor is a wonderful compliment to her legacy,” Moore stated. The college previously honored her contributions by inducting her into the Washington College Athletics Department Hall of Fame in 1997 and dedicating the Penny J. Fall Gymnasium to her in the spring of 2021.

Washington College Expands Varsity Programs and Equity Resources

The SWA position is held by the highest-ranking female within an NCAA member institution. Alisha Mosley has held the title for the past two years, managing the portfolio alongside her existing coaching and administrative duties. Washington College currently supports ten varsity programs, with plans to add flag football as an eleventh program next school year, alongside two co-ed offerings.

Sarah Feyerherm, the Vice President for Student Affairs, emphasized Fall’s commitment to ensuring that female student-athletes received resources equivalent to their male counterparts. “Penny Fall was relentless in her pursuit of equality for female student-athletes at Washington College,” Feyerherm said. “She cared deeply that they had the experience they deserved and that they would not be treated less than their male counterparts.”