One Letter Says a Lot
espnW...
Connects female fans to the sports they love and follow. We aim to provide an engaging environment where women are an integral part of the sports conversation -- where you can share your perspective on men's and women's sports. We aim to be your primary destination for women's sports. And we aim to offer you behind-the-scenes access to female athletes across the globe, with guidance from the pros to help you find motivation and support for all your athletic goals.
We love sports because...
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Our own Julie Foudy says it best:
- When outsiders say you can't, the team says we can.
- People who take shortcuts eventually finish last.
- If you believe, you can achieve.
- We celebrate others (and life could use more of that).
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- Good pain is hard to find.
- We discover what truly matters in the soul of a teammate.
- We learn how to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations.
- Mediocrity has no place to hide.
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- You understand that pressure is a privilege.
- Confidence follows.
- Or you learn to fake it 'til you make it.
- Hard work becomes a habit.
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- That feeling of BRING IT ON, when you know you are fit and ready.
- Risk is indeed rewarded.
- You teach the butterflies to fly in formation.
- Discipline matters.
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- We learn that TOGETHER we are always stronger.
- Dreams aren't crazy, just courageous.
- The older I get, the better I was.
Our Contributors
Val Ackerman
Val Ackerman served as the WNBA's first president for eight years, before becoming the first female president of USA Basketball in 2005. During her term with USAB, both the men's and women's U.S. teams won gold at the Beijing Olympics. A graduate of UCLA's law school, she's currently an adjunct professor at Columbia University and serves as the U.S. representative to FIBA. She and her husband have two daughters.
- Val Ackerman: Assessing the costs of women's college sports
(02/15/2012) - Surveying a significant year for women's sports
(12/30/2011)
Adena Andrews
Adena is a writer for espnW. She worked at ESPN the Magazine and NBA.com for three seasons before joining espnW. A proud USC grad, she also edits for Nike Women and Nike Running. You can follow her on Twitter @adena_andrews.
- In her words: Pro sports and motherhood
(05/11/2012) - In New York, anything short of title is not enough
(05/02/2012)
Kathryn Bertine
Kathryn Bertine is an elite cyclist and the author of two sports memoirs, As Good As Gold (ESPN) and All the Sundays Yet to Come (Little, Brown). She can be reached through her site www.kathrynbertine.com.
- London Calling: Welcome to the Hope Show
(05/10/2012) - Bertine: Meet Team Colavita
(04/27/2012)
Gretchen Bleiler
Gretchen Bleiler is a four-time winner of the Winter X Games Halfpipe competition and a 2006 Winter Olympic silver medalist.
- Burke's accident leaves questions in its wake
(01/16/2012) - Gretchen Bleiler learns the hard way
(09/01/2011)
Tamika Catchings
Tamika Catchings was a four-time All-American for Tennessee. A six-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year for the Indiana Fever, Catchings is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
- Catchings: 'Pat Summitt is one remarkable woman'
(04/19/2012) - Back in the Games
(04/04/2012)
Joanne C. Gerstner
Joanne C. Gerstner is a staff writer with espnW. She is an award-winning sports writer, having covered the Olympics, NBA and college sports. Her work has regularly appeared in the New York Times, USA Today and Detroit News. You can follow her on Twitter @joannecgerstner.
- Amber Wing works to bring wakeboarding to the masses
(04/26/2012) - C. Vivian Stringer talks Title IX
(04/24/2012)
Monica Gonzalez
Monica Gonzalez is a native of Dallas and played college soccer at Notre Dame before becoming founding member of the Mexican national team in 1999. She was captain of the Mexican team from 2003-07 and was named to the FIFA World All-Star team in 2007. She currently works for ESPN as an analyst and sideline reporter.
- Gonzalez: WPS brought mess on itself
(02/01/2012) - CONCACAF must close the disparity gap
(01/21/2012)
Graham Hays
Graham Hays writes for Page 2 and contributes to ESPN.com's women's basketball, softball and soccer coverage. Hays began with ESPN in 1999. He's now an editor for ESPN.com's SportsNation.
- Tournament is SEC's time to shine
(05/09/2012) - Taner Fowler swinging, and missing her dad
(05/08/2012)
Kate Fagan
- My love-ambivalence relationship with horse racing
(05/04/2012) - Kate Fagan on running and obstacles, both external and self-imposed
(04/13/2012)
Julie Foudy
During her stellar 17 years on the U.S. national soccer team, Julie Foudy won two World Cups and three Olympic medals (two gold, one silver). Foudy captained the national team for 13 years. A 2007 inductee into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame, Foudy now works as an analyst for ABC/ESPN and for NBC Olympics. She is also director of the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Academies, a motivational speaker, and proud mother of Isabel and Declan.
- IX reasons I'm thankful for Title IX
(04/05/2012) - Foudy: Luis Suarez's move leaves us shaking our heads
(02/13/2012)
Melissa Jacobs
Melissa Jacobs is founder of the award-winning NFL site, TheFootballGirl.com. Previously, she was a producer for ESPN's studio shows including SportsCenter and Jim Rome is Burning.
- A comprehensive guide to the NFL draft
(04/25/2012) - Michelle Obama hosts mini-Olympics for D.C. kids
(03/14/2012)
Rebecca Lobo
Rebecca Lobo won the 1995 Naismith National Player of the Year Award after leading the University of Connecticut women's basketball team to its first national championship. She was the youngest member of the 1996 gold-medal-winning Olympic team, and now, after seven seasons in the WNBA, she covers basketball for ESPN. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, Steve Rushin, and their three children.
- My winning moment
(05/15/2012) - Rebecca Lobo's Five Questions with Tiffany Hayes
(02/26/2012)
Jane McManus
Jane McManus has covered New York sports since 1998 and began covering football just before Brett Favre's stint with the Jets. Her work has appeared in Newsday, USA Today, The Journal News and The New York Times. Follow Jane on Twitter.
- McManus: For T.O., this was too much reality
(05/12/2012) - Terms of endearment for pickup players
(05/07/2012)
Jessica Mendoza
Jessica Mendoza is a softball player for the National Pro Fastpitch team the Florida Pride, a two-time Olympic medalist, former Women's Sports Foundation president, mother, an ESPN color analyst, athletic ambassador for Team Darfur and a board member of the National Education Association Foundation.
- Mendoza: Finding hope in Rwanda through The Girl Effect
(04/14/2012) - Mendoza's top five reasons to be an athlete
(02/01/2012)
Elizabeth Merrill
- Players lean on their women at NFL draft
(04/27/2012) - Emotions linger for former Illinois State wrestler
(04/26/2012)
Amanda Rykoff
Amanda Rykoff (aka The OCD Chick) is a NYC-based sports fan and TiVo junkie. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, a recovering attorney and previous host of the ESPN podcast "Play Ball!" Follow her on Twitter.
- Mothers of Herzlich and Dixon stand by their sons
(05/11/2012) - Diana Lopez gets her kicks from family
(05/11/2012)
Summer Sanders
Summer Sanders won two gold, a silver and a bronze medal in the butterfly in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Currently a correspondent for Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show and NBC's Universal Sports Network, she's also a proud wife, mother and an avid runner.
- Summer Sanders gets Serena's point
(01/09/2012) - Michael Phelps, others try to keep fire alive
(12/15/2011)
Michelle Smith
- Sky hope revamped roster leads to first playoffs
(05/15/2012) - Smith: LSU's Caldwell enjoying new role
(05/11/2012)
Sarah Spain
Sarah Spain is a SportsCenter Anchor for Chicago's ESPN1000 and a reporter for ESPNChicago.com. She's a proud Cornell alum and a huge Chicago sports fan. You can follow her on Twitter @SarahSpain.
- That's What She Said -- Sarah Spain's brand of game-day promotions
(05/08/2012) - Bullish view on Rose's future
(05/01/2012)
Mechelle Voepel
- Accidental activist
(03/26/2012) - Wambach still upbeat about pro soccer's future
(02/03/2012)
Our Advisory Panel
Gretchen Bleiler
Donna Carpenter
Tamika Catchings
Kerry Chandler
Christine Driessen
Ann Meyers Drysdale
Sue Enquist
Julie Foudy
Ilana Kloss
Leslie LaFronz
Dr. Nicole LaVoi
Dr. Richard Lapchick
Jessica Mendoza
Dr. Jordan Metzl
Alana Nichols
Susan O'Day
Russ Rose
Summer Sanders
Amy Stanton
Carol Stiff
Dr. Kevin Stone
Hannah Storm
Judy Sweet
John Walsh
Official Partners
Nike
Gatorade
P&G
Oakley
The Women's Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation is an official charity of espnW. We work closely together to raise awareness for girls and women in sports and support athletic programs.