Kathryn Rafter was a true pioneer for women’s athletics at Niagara University as she helped lead the initiative to have women’s sports officially sanctioned at Niagara. In 1974, Rafter became the first female student elected to the Athletics Advisory Council as the University, including assistance from men’s basketball head coach Frank Layden, helped implement Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. There was no official team when Rafter arrived to Niagara as freshman in 1971; over the next three seasons, Rafter and her teammates played against well-established and funded teams while proudly wearing the men’s discarded practice jerseys on game days. By the time of her senior season in 1974-75, the team had uniforms, a travel budget and an official coach, but were still not on scholarship. In the spring of 1975, women’s basketball and swimming were the first programs to offer scholarships which went into effect in 1977. Rafter was college roommates with Mary Roickle, who later coached Niagara from 1976-80 and was a part of the 2013 MAAC Hall of Fame Honor Roll.