Sports

For women athletes, world recognition is a long time coming

Published

6 months ago

June 2, 2025

Your Sports Nation

For women athletes, world recognition is a long time coming

From Olympic racers to WNBA ballers, women are now getting the fandom and respect they have long deserved. For girls getting into the game? It’s just a start.

Creating a space for debate about climate change issues

Chicago Sky guard Arella Guirantes moves the ball against Brazil forward Ayla McDowell in a WNBA exhibition basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., 2 May 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

This article, by high school student Camille Johnson was produced out of News Decoder’s school partnership program. Camille is a student at The Tatnall School, a News Decoder partner institution. Learn more about how News Decoder can work with your school.

Last year was arguably the best year for women’s sports yet.

According to data analysis company S&P Global, in-person attendance and viewership were higher, with women’s professional sports sponsorships increasing by 22% since 2023. According to UN Women Australia, globally, there has been a lack of interest in women’s sports. But it seems that they might finally be getting the attention they deserve.

To find out what is driving this change in attitude towards women’s sports, I interviewed 10 women athletes across high school, university, and coaching.

Historically, women’s sports have not gotten the recognition that they deserve. However, during 2024, women’s collegiate basketball had a significant increase in viewership compared to the previous year. The Final Four game in 2024 was a showdown between two players from two U.S. universities: Caitlin Clark of the University of Iowa and Paige Bueckers of the University of Connecticut. The game drew in a peak audience of 16.1 million, according to an article in Sports Illustrated.

Women’s media coverage has tripled since 2019. At this rate, if coverage trends continue, women’s share of coverage could reach 20% by the end of this year, according to Women.org, an organization within the United Nations devoted to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Gender parity in sports

The Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games were officially the first to see 50:50 coverage in gender equality.

Avery Elliot, a track and field athlete from the University of Pennsylvania, attended the Paris Olympics as a spectator and said she noticed the change – more social media presence and sponsorships, particularly highlighting women of color, especially in women’s gymnastics, spurred by the popularity and success of U.S. athletes Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles and Brazilian Rebeca Andrade.

The lack of media coverage of women has always played a role in the lack of recognition that they receive. Lanae Carrington, a track star at Lehigh University in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, said that in the past, women athletes would get dismissed for getting a low number of views or for the belief that women’s games were not as entertaining as those of men. “Overall, women are making a stronger impact in the entertainment industry, whether that’s more highlight reels on TikTok or screen time on TV,” Carrington said. “It’s finally becoming normalized.”

One of the hardest things to deal with as an athlete is a lack of support, whether from the media, in person or on the sidelines.

Brianna Gautier, a volleyball and basketball sensation at Neumann University in Pennsylvania, said it is hard to play a game where you’re not going to have a full house. “But it’s kind of helped me learn to just play for myself instead of waiting for people to show up and relying on that to bring some type of energy because I feel like it starts within you and your teammates,” she said.

Play for yourself first

As a track and field athlete, I have seen this firsthand. It is unfortunate to see people walk away after the men are finished competing. But I found that when you start showing up for yourself with energy, success comes rolling in. Gautier has embraced the idea of playing for herself and nobody else.

It used to be that at Neumann, people would attend the men’s basketball games but never stay afterward to support the women. She also expressed the importance of the support of NBA players such as Steph Curry, who came out to watch several women’s Stanford basketball games in 2023. Gautier said that people think to themselves that if their favorite male basketball players are tuning in to watch women’s sports, it must be worthwhile.

Carrington said parents also need to support their daughters in athletics. “This is important because many girls don’t have parents who encourage them to play more traditionally masculine sports, such as basketball and soccer,” she said.

Most of the women I interviewed commented on the change in the WNBA as the catalyst for the change in women’s sports..

Liz Spagnolo is a soccer player at Tower Hill High School in the U.S. state of Delaware who appreciates the opportunities she now has. “Women in sports is big for us because based on women 100 years ago, we wouldn’t be expected to play sports, or be expected to do something like cheer,” Spagnolo said.

The Caitlin Clark effect

Arianna Montgomery, an athlete at The Tatnall School, the private school in Delaware that I also attend, said she appreciates the change in women’s basketball.

“It’s gotten a lot more fame, definitely more college sports have gotten a lot more fame,” Montgomery said. “I think women’s games are starting to become more popular. People are starting to look more towards women’s sports as well as men’s sports, and even since before, instead of men’s sports now, a decade ago, that wasn’t the case.”

Many of the women I spoke to said that a big contributor to the success of women’s sports is due to the Catlin Clark effect. The Caitlin Clark effect is a term that was created after her record-breaking seasons playing women’s basketball at the University of Iowa during the years of 2023-2024.

As a result, she has become the all-time leading scorer in college basketball before entering the WNBA, and has reportedly signed sponsorship deals worth more than $11 million.

Ruth Hiller, a lacrosse coach at my school said that are a number of successful women athletes that young women can now look up to, including tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams and Alex Morgan, the former captain of the U.S. women’s soccer team, women’s tennis pioneer Billie Jean King and Charlotte North, a professional lacrosse player who broke the all-time goals record in college lacrosse.

Women now rack up medals and points

Daija Lampkin, my track and field coach, pointed to Alison Felix, who won more medals than any other U.S. track and field athlete, and tennis superstar Serena Williams.

It is important, Lampkin said, that women support women. “Our body is critical, and some women are self-conscious that they are going to be muscular,” Lampkin said. “It can tear down your confidence. It’s not talked about in sports how women look at their bodies. People tear down Serena Williams and her body all the time, but look at where she is and how much she has accomplished”.

I have been participating in sports since I was 3 years old, when my parents signed me up for gymnastics. I run track and field and am a runner, jumper and hurdler. I began training for track and field competitions at the age of 8, and my dad has been my coach since the very beginning.

In my experience, my father was instrumental in encouraging me to participate in dance and gymnastics growing up, while also encouraging me to run track and play basketball and soccer for fun.

With opportunity comes pressure, and Gautier said it is important for girls not to put too much pressure on themselves. “When you are an athlete, you tend to feel that you have to perform a certain way to be successful or please everyone else, but I feel you kind of get blinded by the fact that you are doing it for yourself,” she said.

Questions to consider:

1. Why have women not gotten the same recognition and pay as male athletes in sports?

2. What does “parity” mean when it comes to gender in sports?

3. Should there be any differentiation when it comes to gender in sports and why?

Camille Johnson is an incoming freshman at the University of Pittsburgh and a recent graduate of The Tatnall School. She intends to major in Political Science. Johnson enjoys sports, especially track and field. During her free time she loves journaling and hanging out with friends and family.

Sports

Boise State to Compete in Spokane Indoor Challenge

Published

7 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BOISE, Idaho – Boise State track and field returns to action on Saturday in the Spokane Indoor Challenge.

Beginning at 10 a.m. MT, the Broncos will compete in 10 field events and 13 running events. In total, over four dozen student-athletes will participate in the challenge.

In last year’s competition, Boise State recorded eight personal records and three season bests. Janiah Brown, who graduated last year, won the women’s one mile.

Live results will be available on MileSplit.com.

NOTABLES

·       Head coach Pat McCurry is in his second season at the helm of Boise State’s track and field program. He previously served as an assistant with the Broncos from 2016-18, and also was the head coach at College of Idaho and San Francisco.

·       The event will be held in Spokane, Washington, at The Podium.

·       Boise State has competed in this event in each of the last three years.

·       Last week in Boston, Alex Thompson clocked a personal best with a 7:57.74 in the men’s 3K.

·       Kaiya Robertson also recorded a collegiate best with a 9:05.03 in the women’s 3K, the second fastest time in school history.

LINEUPS

Field Events:

Women’s Weight Throw (10:00 a.m. MT) – Amaya Dixon, Alexee Kline, Victoria Lotz, Addy MacArthur, Ruby Sereday, Coco Velasquez

Women’s Long Jump (11:00 a.m. MT) – Nadia Collins, Kenna DeLemos, Gabbie Hasskamp, Alix Mund, Emily Stefan, Love Uzoekwe

Women’s Shot Put (2:30 p.m. MT) – Amaya Dixon, Victoria Lotz, Addy MacArthur, Emily Stefan, Coco Velasquez

Women’s Triple Jump (3:00 p.m. MT) – Nadia Collins, Alix Mund

Women’s High Jump (3:45 p.m. MT) – Gabbie Hasskamp, Jamie Wade

Men’s High Jump (10:00 a.m. MT) – Aayden Simmons

Men’s Long Jump (11:00 a.m. MT) – Harvey Scott, Aayden Simmons, Raekwon Weatherspoon

Men’s Weight Throw (1:15 p.m. MT) – Joseph Garcia, Tyler Grant, Tanner Nett

Men’s Triple Jump (3:00 p.m. MT) – Aayden Simmons

Men’s Shot Put (4:00 p.m. MT) – Joseph Garcia, Tyler Grant, Tanner Nett

Running Events:

Women’s 60m, Qualifying (12:00 p.m. MT) – Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi, Campbell Brintnall, Audrey Kays, Breasia Roberts, Love Uzoekwe

Women’s 60m Hurdles, Prelim (1:00 p.m. MT) – Campbell Brintnall, Gabbie Hasskamp, Emily Stefan

Women’s 60m, Prelim (1:35 p.m. MT) – Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi, Campbell Brintnall, Audrey Kays, Breasia Roberts, Maggie Shirazi, Love Uzoekwe

Women’s Mile (2:40 p.m. MT) – Gabriella Chiara, Emme Hamm, Eliisa Marshall, Brynnli Poulsen

Women’s 300m (3:30 p.m. MT) – Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi, Eloise Bolles, Brooklynn Bright, Ciara Brown, Shyniece Davis, McKenna Murphy, Maggie Shirazi

Women’s 200m (5:00 p.m. MT) – Audrey Kays, Breasia Roberts

Women’s 4x400m Relay (6:40 p.m. MT) – Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi (A1),Eloise Bolles (A2), Brooklynn Bright (A4), Ciara Brown (A3), Gabriella Chiara (B2), Emme Hamm (C4), Gabbie Hasskamp (B1), Eliisa Marshall (C3), McKenna Murphy (C1), Brynnli Poulsen (C2), Maggie Shirazi (C1), Emily Stefan (B3)

Men’s 60m, Qualifying (12:20 p.m. MT) – Raekwon Weatherspoon, Allan McKeraghan

Men’s 60m Hurdles, Prelim (1:20 p.m. MT) – Dax Duggan, Noah Lara, Chase Lawyer

Men’s 60m, Prelim (1:45 p.m. MT) – Allan McKeraghan, Raekwon Weatherspoon

Men’s Mile (2:50 p.m. MT) – Angus Fitzgerald, Shawn Jones, Cody Lucas, Ezra Teeples

Men’s 300m (3:45 p.m. MT) – Cobe Cameron, Trevor Cogley, John Dailey, Dax Duggan, Xavier Fraley, Josh Green, Wade Pollock, DJ Warren Jr.

Men’s 600m (4:45 p.m. MT) – Drew Bradeson

Men’s 200m (5:25 p.m. MT) – Noah Lara, Allan McKeraghan, Harvey Scott

Mixed 4x400m Relay (7:10 p.m. MT) – Josh Green (A1), Trevor Cogley (A3), Chase Lawyer (A6), Priscilla Adu-Gyamfi (A5), Campbell Brintnall (A2), Shyniece Davis (A4)

Link

Sports

After 11 standout seasons, BYU women’s volleyball has an opening at head coach

Published

8 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

PROVO — One week after being eliminated from the program’s 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, BYU women’s volleyball is looking for a new head coach.

Longtime coach Heather Olmstead announced her departure from the university Thursday to pursue “new professional avenues,” according to a department news release.

Considered one of the top female head coaches in college volleyball, Olmstead went 279-55 in 11 seasons with the Cougars.

After taking over following her brother Shawn’s move to the men’s volleyball job, she became the fastest coach to reach 200 Division I wins — doing so in just 225 games — and was the third-fastest coach all-time to 100 Division I wins just 111 matches into her head coaching career.

The former AVCA national coach of the year in 2018 departs BYU after developing 14 All-Americans, 23 All-Region honorees, and nine All-Big 12 honorees while guiding the Cougars from the West Coast Conference, where her players earned 22 all-conference honors.

“Coaching at BYU has been an incredible chapter — one filled with championships, NCAA Tournament runs and record-setting seasons,” Olmstead said. “But the true highlight has always been the people. I’m grateful for every athlete who let me be part of her journey and for the chance to help shape strong leaders, teammates and women who go on to make a difference long after their playing days.

“As I move into this next chapter, I do so with deep gratitude for the BYU community, for the players who trusted me with their development and for the staff who stood beside me through every challenge. I wish this program continued success, and I’m excited for what’s next.”

BYU Athletics is tremendously grateful for Coach Olmstead’s devotion and commitment to BYU Women’s Volleyball and wish her all the best in her future endeavors. pic.twitter.com/q7n4GoZwz1

— BYU Women’s Volleyball (@BYUwvolleyball) December 11, 2025

Olmstead presided over what many consider to be the greatest season in BYU women’s volleyball history in 2018, which included 11 weeks as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, a 27-match win streak, and a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament that took the Cougars to the national semifinals before a straight-set loss to eventual champion Stanford.

“I want to thank Heather for everything she has done to make BYU women’s volleyball great,” BYU athletic director Brian Santiago said in a statement. “She poured her heart and soul into this program and guided incredible teams that have had consistent national relevance and success and represented BYU well. Her student-athletes have gone on to do remarkable things.

“We wish Heather all the best as she pursues new opportunities, and we will open a national search for a new women’s volleyball head coach immediately.”

Olmstead was also a rising coaching star internationally, serving as head coach of the U.S. U21 women’s national team that won the gold medal at the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup and 2024 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championships.

She also had experience with the U.S. collegiate national team and was an assist on the U.S. team that won gold in the 2015 Pan American Games.

Olmstead’s departure is the second longtime college volleyball staple to exit her program in the state of Utah, and comes days after legendary Utah volleyball coach Beth Launiere retired following a 31-year career.

But in the weeks since the Cougars’ first-round loss to Big West champion Cal Poly in Los Angeles, the Cougars have seen three key departures to the transfer portal — including a pair of All-Big 12 first-team selections in setter Alex Bower and star freshman Suli Davis.

Sophomore outside hitter Blaykli Bobik, an Arizona native who played in 20 of the Cougars’ 31 matches as a reserve, also entered the portal.

It’s unknown if the portal departures were influenced by or connected to Olmstead’s decision to leave her position.

But Davis, who broke a 40-year-old freshman kills record at BYU with 541 en route to freshman of the year honors by the Big 12 and the AVCA West region, took to her Instagram account to clear up any rumors of animosity between her and Olmstead and the other BYU coaches.

“I love coach Heather and the staff, I love my teammates, and everyone who has helped me at BYU,” she wrote. “I couldn’t be more grateful for them all. … I’m not transferring for those reasons.”

BYU has named associate head coach David Hyte as interim head coach while it conducts what it calls a national search for the program’s next head coach.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

Link

Sports

Freshman Justin Williams 3rd in collegiate debut for Minot State track and field

Published

23 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

FARGO, N.D. – Minot State freshman Justin Williams had a successful collegiate debut on Thursday, turning in a 3rd-place performance in his first meet for Minot State, the Dakota Alumni Classic hosted by North Dakota State.

Williams, who also plays football for Minot State, was third in 22.66 seconds in the men’s 200 meters, the best performance of the day for the Beavers, who sent a small group of student-athletes to compete in the second indoor meet of the season.

Teammate and freshman Alex Roberts, another Beaver football player, also had a strong debut in the event, finishing 7^th in 23.38 for Minot State.

The Beavers also got an 8^th-place performance from sophomore Deuce Carr in the men’s 60-meter dash. Carr, who also plays football for Minot State, made his season debut, finishing in a time of 7.08 seconds.

On the women’s side, senior Summer Krebsbach led the way for the second straight meet for the Beavers as she was 5^th in the women’s 60-meter dash with a time of 7.83 seconds in the finals after clocking a time of 7.75 in the prelims.

The meet wraps up the 2025 portion of the indoor season for the Minot State track and field teams, who now get a month off before the heart of the indoor season gets underway on Saturday, January 17, with the Marauders Indoor Opener hosted by the University of Mary in Bismarck.

The Marauders Indoor Opener is the first of five meets that the Beavers will compete in in preparation for the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships, February 28 and March 1, hosted by Minnesota State, Mankato.

Link

Sports

Creighton volleyball to face Kentucky in regional final

Published

24 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LEXINGTON, Ky. (KMTV) — The Creighton volleyball team is headed to the Elite Eight for the second straight season and third time in program history.

The Jays will face Kentucky, which is hosting the regional rounds, on Saturday at 4 p.m. central time.

The match will air on ESPN2.

CU beat Arizona State 3-1 in the regional semifinals, led by Ava Martin with 23 kills and Kiara Reinhardt with 15, including the kill that won the match.

Link

Sports

Texas reveals plans for new volleyball arena, athlete housing

Published

40 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Nearly two years ago, Texas Longhorns athletics director Chris Del Conte teased the potential for a “mini-Moody” with a capacity of 5,000 to 6,000 to allow the volleyball program to move out of Gregory Gymnasium, the venerable building built in 1930.

On Wednesday, the school revealed a request for proposal as Del Conte tries to build the new multipurpose arena with minimal outlay from the university, reprising the game plan for the Moody Center, which constructed and operated through a partnership between the university, Oak View Group, Live Nation/C3 Presents, and Matthew McConaughey as Texas managed to avoid the $375 million price tag for the facility, which hosts men’s and women’s basketball games.

Del Conte is looking for a similar partnership to plan, design, construct, equip, finance, and operate the public arena and an adjacent housing facility for athletes on a four-acre parcel of land next to the Moody Center north of East MLK Jr. Boulevard between Robert Dedman Drive and Interstate 35.

One of the few relatively undeveloped areas left, the planned site for the arena and housing is also conveniently located next to the new football facility under construction across Robert Dedman Dr. that will also have an underground parking garage with 500 spaces.

“It is important for us to be strategic about how we use our space and how our students and visitors engage with our campus,” said UT President Jim Davis. “This is a unique development that will enhance the University’s athletics facilities and housing portfolio and benefit students, Longhorn fans and our city for years to come. I am grateful to our Board of Regents for their support for our vision.”

The plan is for 6,000 seats at the multipurpose arena with the ability to expand seating for concerts, shows, and university events, hence the “mini-Moody” moniker.

The housing facility could also offer retail opportunities on the ground level to encourage investment.

“This is a critical step for the future of Texas volleyball and our student-athletes’ housing experience,” said Del Conte. “It is about creating an experience that our student-athletes, coaches, and passionate fans will be proud of in the heart of a district built for elite talent and entertainment.”

Link

Sports

2025 DI women’s volleyball championship: Bracket, schedule, scores

Published

56 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The DI women’s volleyball championship is here. The tournament continues Thursday, Dec. 11 with regionals and lasts until the national championship on Sunday, Dec. 21 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

The full 64-team bracket was announced on Sunday, Nov. 30. Thirty-one conference champions earned automatic bids to the tournament, with the NCAA DI women’s volleyball committee selecting 33 other teams as at-large picks.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2025 women’s volleyball championship.

2025 DI women’s volleyball championship bracket

👉 Click or tap to see the interactive bracket

2025 DI women’s volleyball championship schedule

All times listed in ET

Regionals: Dec. 11 and 13 or Dec. 12 and 14
- Friday, Dec. 12
- Saturday, Dec. 13
Semifinals: Thursday, Dec. 18
National championship: 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21 | ABC

Selection show: 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30
First round:
- Thursday, Dec. 4
  - No. 5 Colorado 3, American 0
  - No. 6 Baylor 3, Arkansas State 2
  - No. 8 UCLA 3, Georgia Tech 2
  - No. 5 Miami (Fla.) 3, Tulsa 1
  - No. 4 Indiana 3, Toledo 0
  - No. 6 UNI 3, Utah 2
  - North Carolina 3, No. 6 UTEP 1
  - Utah State 3, No. 7 Tennessee 2
  - No. 1 Kentucky 3, Wofford 0
  - No. 3 Purdue 3, Wright State 0
  - No. 4 Kansas 3, High Point 0
  - Cal Poly 3, No. 5 BYU 2
  - No. 3 Creighton 3, Northern Colorado 2
  - No. 3 Wisconsin 3, Eastern Illinois 0
  - No. 2 Arizona State 3, Coppin State 0
  - No. 4 USC 3, Princeton 0
- Friday, Dec. 5
  - Marquette 3, No. 7 Western Kentucky 0
  - Michigan 3, No. 8 Xavier 0
  - Florida 3, No. 7 Rice 0
  - No. 6 TCU 3, SFA 0
  - No. 5 Iowa State 3, St. Thomas (Minn.) 2
  - No. 8 Penn State 3, South Florida 1
  - Kansas State 3, No. 8 San Diego 2
  - No. 2 Louisville 3, Loyola Chicago 0
  - No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, UMBC 0
  - No. 2 SMU 3, Central Arkansas 0
  - Arizona 3, No. 7 South Dakota State 1
  - No. 3 Texas A&M 3, Campbell 0
  - No. 4 Minnesota 3, Fairfield 0
  - No. 1 Nebraska 3, LIU 0
  - No. 1 Texas 3, Florida A&M 0
  - No. 2 Stanford 3, Utah Valley 1
Second Round:
- Friday, Dec. 5
- Saturday, Dec. 6
Regionals