Women in Sports
Women's sports are becoming increasingly bigger in the public eye.
Photo by Luis Andrés Villalón Vega (Pexels)
When thinking of sports as a whole, historically, it has been a field dominated by men. This is especially prominent when it comes to gendered sports teams that people choose to consume and support. But recently, women’s sports have gained a lot more traction from fans due to the shifts that are happening within that sector of athletics.
Within the past couple of years, professional female athletes have been given new and expanded opportunities.
Ten new professional women’s leagues have debuted since 2024, including the Professional Women’s Hockey League, Athletes Unlimited Softball League, Major League Volleyball and League One Volleyball, Unrivaled, 3XBA basketball and the Upshot League, the Women’s Lacrosse League and Women’s Elite Rugby. A flag football league sponsored by the National Football League is also planned.
While opportunities for women’s sports have been growing, so have their fanbases. Widespread recognition for female athletes has skyrocketed on social media, with women feeling empowered to share their stories as athletes and receiving support from people that spans beyond the athletic community.
When asked how she feels about this, Lola Ungerman ‘28, a tennis player on Marist University’s women’s tennis team, said:
“Female athletes work just as hard as men and deserve the same respect and opportunities. As a female athlete, it makes me feel proud and motivated to see women being celebrated for their talent and dedication.”
Ungerman said, “I also think it’s a step toward inspiring the next generation of girls to believe in themselves and see that they can achieve anything through hard work.”
On social media, the conversation surrounding women’s sports has shifted. Sports content creators have actively started to change the narrative that comes with being a female athlete. One of these content creators is Maddy Brown, “WNBAData.” Seeing a gap in content on women’s sports games, she decided to fill it. Using her background in data analytics, she started to use data to analyze the performance of players during a game.
However, Brown is not the only one who has taken on reframing the stigma surrounding women’s sports. Others include Cassie Chantel, Lacy Conine, Jackie Johnston, Mariah Rose, Nicolette Mason, Janae Sims and Ava Wood.
With new professional women’s leagues entering the sports landscape and a push for better content on women’s sports games, there has been progress for female athletes we have not previously seen. Fans and players can and should be optimistic about the future of women’s sports.