As Women’s Sports Celebrate a Breakthrough Year, New WSF Research Shows 1 in 3 Girls Has Stopped Seeing Sport as ‘For Someone Like Her’ by High School

NEW YORK, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This evening, more than 700 athletes and industry leaders – Olympians, Paralympians, legendary icons, team owners, leagues, and brands – will gather at Cipriani Wall Street for the Women’s Sports Foundation’s (WSF®) Annual Salute gala to celebrate how far women’s sports have come and invest in how far they still have to go, so that every girl and woman can play, compete and lead.

The premier night in women’s sports since 1980, this year’s Annual Salute honors Clara Wu Tsai, Nneka Ogwumike and Oksana Masters with the Foundation’s signature awards, highlighting their powerful impact – from the boardroom to the league bargaining table, to the Paralympic podium and beyond.

Each year, the gala celebrates the gains women’s sports have made – and holds up a clear view of what remains unfinished. This year’s event coincides with the release of the WSF Sport Report™ 2026, the Foundation’s first annual benchmark on the state of girls’ and women’s sports, which captures both sides of that picture: 93% of WSF’s expert panel call this a breakthrough year for professional women’s sports, while by high school, 1 in 3 girls no longer feels that sports are for someone like her.

“Equal access and opportunity for girls and women in sports is as relevant a need today as it was more than 50 years ago when I founded the Women’s Sports Foundation,” said sports icon and equality champion, Billie Jean King. “Title IX opened the doors to progress, but there is still more work to be done. As we celebrate the soaring popularity of women’s sports tonight, we know we cannot become complacent – because girls who play become women who lead.”

This year’s Annual Salute awards include:

• Clara Wu Tsai – As Governor and owner of the New York Liberty, owner of the Brooklyn Nets, and Vice Chair of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, Wu Tsai has helped set a new benchmark for investment and opportunity in women’s sports. In 2024, the Liberty won its first WNBA championship. Through the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, she has brought together scientists and clinicians across seven universities to optimize wellness and human health and to address a glaring gap: only 6% of sports science studies focus exclusively on women athletes. Wu Tsai will receive the Billie Jean King Leadership Award, presented by Deloitte, in recognition of her transformative impact on the growth and future of women’s sports. Read more here. 

• Nneka Ogwumike – An 11-time WNBA All-Star, WNBA MVP and Champion, and seven-time All-WNBA selection, Nneka Ogwumike has continually redefined leadership on and off the court. The No. 1 overall pick out of Stanford, she has earned eight WNBA All-Defensive Team honors and made league history as the first five-time recipient of the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award. Now serving her fourth and final term as WNBPA President, Ogwumike is a powerful advocate for equality, opportunity, women’s empowerment, and health and wellness. She will receive the Re-Writing the Game Award, presented by Gatorade, for using her position and platform to help shape the future of women’s basketball and inspire the next generation to lead with purpose. Read more here.

• Oksana Masters – The most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian of all time, Masters has amassed 24 medals, including 13 golds across eight Games and four sports. Born in Ukraine with radiation-induced birth defects and later undergoing the amputation of both legs above the knee, Masters has spent a lifetime refusing to let circumstance determine what she could become. When injuries forced her to change course, she adapted, reinvented herself, and found new ways to compete at the highest level. In 2026, she made history once again, adding four gold medals and a bronze to her remarkable record. Masters will receive the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award, presented by Delta Air Lines, for overcoming setbacks and making powerful comebacks, inspiring others to see possibility where the world too often sees limits. Read more here.

Beyond the awards, the evening will spotlight two recipients of WSF’s direct support – a reminder that the Foundation’s work spans from industry-level advocacy to the athletes and communities who need it most – across the entire sports ecosystem. Laru Beya Collective, a Far Rockaway-based nonprofit that uses surfing to expand access and opportunity for historically excluded youth, received a WSF Sports 4 Life grant, which supports community organizations working to expand access and opportunity for underserved girls to keep them playing. Chyna Taylor, a high school ice hockey player with elite potential, received support through WSF’s Travel & Training Fund, which helps athletes pursue competitive opportunities they couldn’t otherwise afford.

The evening will also celebrate the women from this year’s Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Team USA won 33 Olympic medals, with women winning or helping win 21 of them, and 38% of those medals were won by Travel & Training Fund recipients.

Since 1974, WSF has championed Title IX and demonstrated that sports participation – at every level – promotes better health, stronger leadership skills, and lasting social and economic benefits. By uniting athletes, organizations and supporters, the Annual Salute underscores how strategic investments and partnerships empower girls and women to thrive in classrooms, workplaces, and communities.

“Lasting progress in women’s sports comes from building an ecosystem that supports and sustains it,” said WSF CEO, Danette Leighton. “There is a clear throughline from Title IX to the extraordinary growth we are seeing today. The Women’s Sports Foundation has been at the heart of that progress for more than 50 years – strengthening the pipeline, opening access and creating opportunities to carry that momentum forward for generations to come.”

The Annual Salute gala is presented by WSF National Partners Bank of America, Delta Air Lines, ESPN, Gatorade, and NBC Sports, with additional support from Photo Activation Partner FanDuel and Reception Partner Ally Financial.

More information about the Annual Salute can be found here.

About the Women’s Sports Foundation
The Women’s Sports Foundation^® (WSF^®) exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate, and a catalyst for tomorrow’s leaders. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we are one of the first organizations to recognize the powerful connection between sport access, equity, and society. For over 50 years, WSF has been changing the game through its research, advocacy, and community programming, investing over $115 million to help girls and women play, compete, and lead – in sports and beyond – without barriers. A leader and champion of the entire women’s sports ecosystem, WSF amplifies the vital societal and cultural impact that is made when girls and women play sports. When girls play, they lead, and we all win!^® To learn more about the Women’s Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.

Media Contacts:
Kandice Miller
Women’s Sports Foundation
479.409.7779
KMiller@WomensSportsFoundation.org

Patty Bifulco
Women’s Sports Foundation
631.230.3322
PBifulco@WomensSportsFoundation.org

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SOURCE Women’s Sports Foundation