Cameron University Athletics

Val Maples is widely considered to be the pioneer of women’s sports at Cameron. She was instrumental in the development of numerous women's athletics programs, coaching many of them herself. Maples started women’s basketball, volleyball and softball at Cameron, and she also served as Dean of Women from 1957-1967. Maples dedicated twenty-two years of effort towards women’s athletics at Cameron and was a faculty member in the Health and Physical Education Department for 31 years. As a tribute to her many accomplishment, a bench outside of Aggie Gym was dedicated in her honor in 2007.