Women's History Month is held annually in March to highlight the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It started with the first International Women’s Day in 1911, grew to National Women’s History Week in 1980 and was officially recognized in it’s current form in 1988. We believe that sports history is also worth celebrating this month, particularly the historic and impactful achievements of female athletes. They have been winning medals, setting records, and smashing the glass ceiling for decades. Up2Us Sports works with five female ambassadors who have all made their mark on their respective sports, and each hold a small - or in some cases, large - piece of history. Read below for some of the incredible achievements of our ambassadors:
Sasha DiGiulian
Climbing
Captured the 2011 female overall World Championship
Is a three-time U.S. Champion and has been a member of a U.S. National team since 2003
World Ranking leader in First (Female) Ascents
Is the first and only North American woman - and youngest in the World - to climb the grade 9a, 5.14d, recognized as one of the hardest sport climbs achieved by a female - she’s done two.
Has accomplished multiple First Ascents and over 30 First Female Ascents around the world, including a First Female Ascent on the North Face of the Eiger
Sugar Rodgers
Basketball - New York Liberty
Played collegiately at Georgetown, where is she is the school’s all-time scoring leader with 2,518 points, surpassing the men’s team scoring leader by more than 200 points
Is Georgetown women’s basketball’s all-time steals leader and record holder for most 3-pointers made
Was named to the USA Basketball Women’s Select Team in the summer of 2016 prior to the Rio Olympics
Drafted 14th overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx and captured the league title the same year
2017 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, All-Star and 3-Point Contest Runner-up
Claressa Shields
Boxing
In 2012, became the first American woman to win Olympic boxing gold - the first year it was an Olympic event
Made history in 2016 by becoming the first and only American boxer - female or male - to win back-to-back Olympic golds
Was named the 2015 USA Boxing Female Athlete of the Year
Won gold in 2014 and 2016 at the World Championships
Two-time WBC and IBF World Super Middleweight Champion
Currently 8-0 and 2 KO’s in her professional career
Pam Shriver
Tennis
1988 Olympic Gold Medal Winner in women’s doubles with partner Zina Garrison
132 career titles in singles and doubles play
Record 109 match winning streak with doubles partner Martina Navratilova from April 1983 to July 1985
Kim Vandenberg
Swimming
2011 Pan American Games Gold Medal winner in the 200m butterfly & 4x200m freestyle
2008 Beijing Games Bronze Medalist in 4x200m freestyle
2007 World Championships Silver Medal Winner
2004 U.S. National Champion in the 200m butterfly
Swam collegiately at UCLA, where she was an All-American and broke school records in the 100 and 200 butterfly
Up2Us Sports is dedicated to providing girls with the opportunity to play and women the opportunity to coach. Thanks to our ambassadors for helping us tell the world how important sports are for girls and women everywhere.
