Had we known what 2020 had in store, we would've sent our sports schedules straight through a paper shredder. We missed the Olympics [1] while college and pro leagues alike canceled competitions [2] and then entire seasons, a tough environment for athletes, fans, and the industry as a whole. But even in a strange and abbreviated sports year, women athletes across the world stayed busy breaking records and making statements.
The NWSL and WNBA put together late seasons and gave us some top-tier sports to enjoy, but of course, players weren't the only ones changing the game. Kim Ng became the first woman general manager in any of the four major American sports leagues; the NWSL announced plans for a Los Angeles team with a star-studded, woman-dominated ownership group; and women across the sports landscape used their platforms to protest police brutality and racial violence. Looking back, we see women in sports breaking records and glass ceilings while giving us some of the brightest moments of 2020 along the way. Take a look back and relive 12 that we'll never forget, and get ready (we know we are) for even more brilliance in 2021.
Naomi Osaka Speaks Out For Racial Justice
Naomi Osaka arrived at the US Open with seven face masks [4] honoring Black lives lost to police brutality or racial violence. She gave each one a platform en route to her second career victory [5] at Flushing Meadow, the US Open the latest backdrop for her activism. Osaka spent the summer protesting [6] after the killing of George Floyd, using her platform to take a stand against racial injustice. "The point is to make people start talking," she said after the final match.
Sarah Fuller Kicks Off in Power 5 Football
A woman had never scored in an NCAA Power 5 football game. A woman had never played in an NCAA Power 5 football game. Enter Sarah Fuller [7]. The Vanderbilt kicker (and soccer player on the university's SEC-champ team [8]) not only logged minutes in two games but also put points on the board, booting two extra points on Dec. 12 to kick her way into the record books.
Kim Ng Breaks Ground in Miami
In November, Kim Ng was named general manager [14] of the Miami Marlins. In the process, she broke one of the thickest glass ceilings hanging over American sports, becoming the first Asian-American and first woman GM in any of the four major US pro sports leagues. After 30 years in front offices across baseball, Ng is frankly overqualified [15] for the position and poised to do big things in Miami.
WNBA Dedicates Its Season to Social Justice
The WNBA basically provided the blueprint for athlete-activism [16]. In 2020, the league dedicated its whole season [17] to racial justice and the #SayHerName movement, wearing warmup shirts emblazoned with "Black Lives Matter" and jerseys with Breonna Taylor's name, speaking on the topics every chance they had. Players even flexed their political power by throwing their public support behind Rev. Raphael Warnock [18], the candidate running against US senator and Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler, who protested league's support of Black Lives Matter. Suffice to say that WNBA players have always spoke out for racial justice; this year, they turned up the volume.
Coach Alyssa Nakken Takes the Field
Alyssa Nakken has made history [19] twice now. She became the first woman to hold a coaching position on a Major League Baseball team when she was hired as assistant coach of the San Francisco Giants, back in January, but Nakken didn't stop there. On July 20, she became the first woman to coach on the field in the MLB, serving as first base coach during an exhibition game against the Oakland A's. "I'm still wrapping my head around it all [20]," Nakken said afterwards. "It's an awesome feeling to be out there."
Sabrina Ionescu Breaks Records After Tragedy
Sabrina Ionescu considered Kobe Bryant [21] a friend and mentor. She was close to his family, including his basketball-loving daughter, Gianna, who hoped to play at Oregon one day [22]. Just hours after speaking at a memorial service for Kobe and Gianna, who died in a helicopter crash [23] in January, then-Oregon star Ionescu channeled Bryant in a game that would end with her writing her name into the history books. She became the first player in Division 1 history [24] with 2,000 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds, legendary numbers that may never be put up again. "If I represented the present of the women's game, Gigi was the future, and Kobe knew it," Ionescu said during her tribute. "So we decided to build a future together." Now playing for the New York Liberty [25] in the WNBA, Ionescu continues to carry that torch.
Madison Hammond Paves the Way For Native Soccer Players
In September, the NWSL's first ever Native player [26] made her debut for the OL Reign. Madison Hammond, who is Navajo and San Felipe Pueblo, is clear on the role she believes athletes can have when it comes to making political statements. "I always just think it's funny that people are willing to take athletes as icons and transformative people when it suits them and when it makes them comfortable," she told POPSUGAR in October. "I think it's unfair for people to idolize athletes and expect them not to use their public platforms for what they want their voices to be heard for." Now with a national platform, we expect this athlete to continue making a statement.
This Is Us Softball Takes a Stand For Racial Justice
Formerly known as Scrap Yard Dogs Fastpitch, this pro softball team split from its organization when its general manager tweeted a picture of the players, standing during the national anthem, to President Donald Trump [27]. The caption: "Everyone respecting the flag!" The players felt like "political pawns," Kiki Stokes told POPSUGAR later. As one, Stokes and her teammates abandoned the organization (and sacrificed their livelihoods) to form This Is Us [28], an independent team dedicated to empowering young women, uniting the softball community, and raising awareness of racism in softball and society.
Mara Gomez Breaks Ground For Transgender Athletes
An openly transgender woman had never played in a pro soccer game in Argentina until Dec. 7, when Mara Gomez took the field [29] for Villa San Carlos. The obstacles were many, as Gomez had to provide blood samples to evaluate her testosterone levels and was unable to play a game for nearly a year, despite signing with the team in January. Still, Gomez was nothing but grateful and proud afterwards. "A few years back, this was unthinkable [30] to talk about or debate, but now we are opening new roads," she told ESPN. "This is a huge achievement."
Calli Brownson Makes History on NFL Sidelines
More coaching history was made this year, this time in the NFL, where Cleveland Browns chief of staff Callie Brownson became the first woman to hold a position-coaching role [31] during a regular-season NFL game. Brownson, who was filling in for the team's tight ends coach, has the ability to slot in anywhere, according to Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. "I am proud of her [32] and proud of her journey," he said after the game. "It is going to continue here."