Hall of Fame
Affectionately titled the "elder statesperson" of SRU later in her career, Cavill witnessed firsthand, and played a major role in, the transformation of women’s athletics at Slippery Rock over a 67-year stretch from her arrival on campus as a student in 1948 to her death in 2019.
A physical education major, Cavill competed in gymnastics as an undergrad and captained the team in 1950. Following her graduation from Slippery Rock, Cavill taught at Ben Franklin Junior High School in New Castle for six years before returning to SRU. Originally, Cavill planned to only teach, but just two weeks into her tenure then-President Norman Weisenfluh assigned her to coach the gymnastics team, a role that Cavill was initially not excited for.
“We had a lovely chat, and he remembered when I was on the gymnastics team and called me “Willie,” as everybody did while I was in college and some people do today,” Cavill recalled in an interview with Sarah Meleski in 2008.”I began to get the impression that he was inquiring as to whether or not I would be interested in coaching gymnastics. I wasn’t, but I eventually figured out that he wasn’t asking, he was telling me that I was going to coach gymnastics. That was going to be an assignment in addition to being the student teaching supervisor and an aquatic specialist.”
Cavill went on to coach gymnastics at SRU for six seasons before being tabbed to start the swimming program at The Rock, a post she held for 12 years (1964-76). Under her tutelage, Slippery Rock was one of the first women’s swimming programs in the state of Pennsylvania to compete on a national level.
In addition to coaching, Cavill was instrumental in the development of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF), the organization that represents faculty and coaches. She served as the local APSCUF president for four consecutive one-year terms (1974-78).
One of her major accomplishments was helping secure additional compensation for coaches. Prior to the advent of the union she had coached 13 years with no extra compensation. She also helped in leading the charge to make sure that Morrow Field House did not exclude women’s athletes.
“When I came here we were planning the field house, it hadn’t been built yet,” said Cavill. “It was interesting because it was the first time faculty had been asked to be involved in the planning, to be included. There were a lot of obstacles to overcome. For one thing, they didn’t think they were going to have women’s locker rooms in the field house and we said, Yes you will.”
At the time of her retirement in 2015, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service and was recognized as the longest serving faculty member in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. Cavill passed away in 2019 at the age of 88.
