Over the past few years, women’s sports have become popular like never before. Across the board, records have been broken, new leagues have been started, and legends have been made. As the popularity continues to grow, let’s look back on some milestones achieved in recent years.
Caitlin Clark Breaks Record –
Probably one of the most memorable milestones takes us to the University of Iowa, where Caitlin Clark broke the all-time scoring record in college basketball. When talking about Clark, you could go on for hours about her many accomplishments, but one stomps the rest. On March 3, 2024, Clark scored her 3,951st point, passing the record’s previous holder, Pete Maravich. After her long and rewarding college career, this put a cherry on top. This also cemented her importance to women’s sports as she continued to win WNBA Rookie Of The Year and lead a battered Indiana Fever team to a .500 record.
Nebraska Volleyball Attendance Record –
Staying in the world of college sports, attendance records were set by Nebraska women’s volleyball. In August 2023, Nebraska hosted Omaha in Memorial Stadium. With an attendance of 92,000, it set the record for highest attendance at any women’s sporting event ever. The Huskers continued to have a 33-2 season while riding the high of 92,000 fans cheering them on.
Coco Gauff US Open Record –
Coco Gauff has emerged as one of the best tennis players of our generation, and it has shown. Her 2023 US Open win over Aryna Sabalenka was viewed by almost 3.4 million fans across the globe. Giving this match the record for the most viewed Women’s Grand Slam Match Ever.
Simone Biles Medal Record –
At the Paris Olympics Simone Biles once again made history. She officially became the most decorated US gymnast in history. In the summer games, Biles won her 8th medal, passing Shannon Miller. This not only cemented Biles’s place in history but was a refreshing shift in atmosphere from the 2020 Olympic Games where she had to withdraw from the games to focus on her mental health. Biles’ withdrawal not only showed an influential female athlete taking a stand for herself and her health but also allowed her to come back better than ever for the 2024 Olympics.
The Women’s Lacrosse League –
Women’s lacrosse is emerging as the Premier Lacrosse League is debuting the first professional women’s lacrosse league in 2025, the Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL). The league will feature four teams in their debut season: The Boston Guard, California Palms, Maryland Charm, and New York Charging. The first game will be on February 11th in Springfield VA, and will be streamed on ESPN+. This new league is inspiring so many young female lacrosse players and giving them hope for the future of their sport. The league is also playing a big role in expanding the variety of professional women’s sports so hopefully one-day professional women’s sports leagues and organizations will be treated equally to their male counterparts.
Overall, the past few years have been monumental for women’s sports and have truly taken large strides forward. The female athletes of the past, present, and future are all seeing glimpses of equality between males and females. So, in March go to a
women’s basketball game or watch reruns of Jordan Chiles from this year’s Olympics, and remember, everyone watches women’s sports.
