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All current coaches of FSU women's sports, current female student-athletes and donors will be guests at the brunch, now in its ninth year.

Oct. 4, 2007

Florida State alumnae, Mollie Carroll Cardamone, class of 1958 and a member of Tarpon Club, F Club and Garnet Key and Jaime Kaplan, class of 1983 and the first player in the history of FSU Tennis to qualify for NCAA's, will be honored as "Champions Beyond the Game" on October 7, 2007 at 9 a.m. at the annual brunch at the University Center. All current coaches of FSU women's sports, current female student-athletes and donors will be guests at the brunch, now in its ninth year.

The brunch is held each year to "honor the past, celebrate the present and promote the future" of women's athletics at Florida State. The purpose of the event is to honor two Florida State graduates for the lifetime successes that they have achieved following their experiences as Florida State athletes. Each year, one former graduate is selected from the pre-scholarship era and one from the scholarship period of Florida State's athletics history.

A feature added to the brunch in 2005 is the presentation of an honor entitled the Femina Perfecta Awards. Femina Perfecta translated means the "complete woman" and it was the motto that appeared on the school seal when the institution was the Florida State College for Women.

The "complete woman" was expected to possess the traits of Vires (strength), Artes (knowledge) and Mores (tradition), symbolized by the three torches of that seal. In short, FSCW women were expected to have sound minds in sound bodies. Athletics was viewed as essential in developing both and every student was expected to participate in at least one sport every year.

The Femina Perfecta Awards have been established to honor an athlete in each sport, chosen by her teammates, who best personifies these characteristics. The goal is to continue the traditions begun many years ago at the school.

Mollie Carroll Cardamone came to Florida State from Sarasota and earned her a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education in 1958.  While at FSU,  she was a member of Tarpon Club, F Club, Garnet Key and Mortified. She was listed in Who's Who in America Colleges and Universities.  Following graduation, Mollie married Ronald Cardamone and later had two sons and now two grandchildren.  She and her husband will celebrate 50 years of marriage in January.  The Cardamone's returned to Sarasota where Mollie taught school for a number of years. 

In 1964, she and her husband opened a retail business (Children World) that they operated for 37 years in Sarasota and 19 years in Bradenton.  Mollie became a neighborhood activist and was a founder of the Coalition of City Neighborhoods Association and served as President for the first two years.  As a result of her civic interest she ran for Sarasota City Commission in 1993 and was re-elected in 1997.  She served eight years as a commissioner and two years as Mayor of the City of Sarasota. 

During her elected years she worked primarily in the area of economic redevelopment and neighborhood preservation.  In 2000, the Florida Redevelopment Association named her as the elected official who had done the most to promote redevelopment in their community. 

Mollie currently operates her own consulting business dealing in land use and neighborhood issues and serves as the Community and Legislative Liaison for First Step of Sarasota, a drug and alcohol treatment organization.  Mollie and Ron enjoy traveling and fly fishing and time in their vacation home in Beech Mountain, North Carolina. 

Jaime Kaplan, a native to Macon, Ga., attended the University of Georgia from 1979-81 and then attended Florida State University from 1981-83.  While attending FSU, she ranked #1 in Tennis Singles and Doubles for two consecutive years.  In 1983, she participated in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships, making her the first player in the history of FSU Tennis to qualify for the NCAA championships. 

Following her collegiate career, Jaime went on to play in five Wimbledons, four U.S. Opens, four French Opens, one Australian Open and won five doubles' titles and also held a World Singles ranking of #252 and a World Doubles ranking of # 91. 

After an outstanding professional career, Jaime then became the founder and event manager of the Association for Retarded Citizens and Macon Rescue Mission and has raised over $1,410,000 in 18 years.  In 1996, she was selected by the United Way to be the Olympic Torch Relay torchbearer.  That same year, she was named among the "Top Ten Influential Sports Figures of the Decade," by the Macon Telegraph and the following year, was honored on the list of "Top Ten All-Time Female Athletes."

The honors have not stopped for Kaplan, who in 2005, was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, which includes athletes from all sports. In 2006, she was inducted into the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame.

Former Honorees

1999

Charlotte West, Class of 1954.  F Club, Leading organizer of CIAW and AIAW, Foremother of Women's Intercollegiate Athletics.

Janet Stoner, Class of 1970.  Swimmer and President of Tarpon Club, Vice President and Executive Council member of Texaco, Inc.

2000

General Norma Elaine Brown, Class of 1949.  F Club, First woman General in the U.S. Air Force.

Amy Lynn Snider, Class of 1980.  Softball captain, Attorney and President of General Insurance Concepts.

2001

Barbara Harris, Class of 1978.  Volleyball, Executive Vice President, Editorial Director, "Active Life Style", Weider Publications.

Kim Batten, Class of 1991.  Collegiate hurdler and winner of 100 and 400-meter events, Olympic Silver Medalist.

2002

Elaine Gavigan, Class of 1948.  Emblem Wearer, Brought class action suit to permit athletic scholarships for women.

Nada C. Usina, Class of 1993.  Captain of Swim Team, General Manager of Entertainment and Sales for Nokia.

2003

Roberta Boyce-Stokes, Class of 1961.  F Club, Author, Winning Volleyball Coach, Civic Leader.

Colleen Buckley Callahan, Class of 1979.  Softball, U.S. Secret Service, Assistant Director of Flight Operations for the Federal Air Marshall.

2004

Dr. Jo Anne Whitaker, Class of 1948.  Golf, Former F Club President, President and Director of Research for the Bowen Research and Training Institute.

Celia Slater, Class of 1985.  Basketball, Executive Director of the WinStar Foundation, & Special Projects Coordinator for the NACWAA.

2005

Katherine Blood Hoffman, Class of 1936.  Baseball & Volleyball teams, F Club, Mortar Board, Esteren, Phi Beta Kappa, and President of the student body. Professor and Dean of Women at Florida State University. 

Alice Bennett Sims, Class of 1983.  Track, Analyst for the Governor's Committee On Policy and Budget & Coaches track at North Florida Christian.

2006

Paula D. Welch, Class of 1963. President of F Club and the Physical Education Association. Treasurer and Trustee of the United States Olympic Foundation.

Colleen Walker, Class of 1978. Golf, Most Valuable Player Honors. Retired ranking 44th in all time LPGA Career Earnings.