WIN News

Cyclist Mara Abbott finds her way back to road
BOULDER, Colo. -- Mara Abbott's voice is declarative as she talks about intimate things, rising above the hubbub in a crowded café as she makes a point, fast-paced and strong enough to give people at other tables a free seminar on self-esteem

Rosie Napravnik was born to ride
When she began racing horses, Rosie Napravnik did so under the first name "A.R." so no one would know she was a woman.

Stabbing stole Monica Seles' career
Before an unemployed sicko changed tennis history and got away with it; before he walked down through the stands in Hamburg, Germany, and past a crowd distracted by a changeover; before he leaned over a 3-foot barrier and plunged a 9-inch knife between her shoulders, Monica Seles was not only the best women's tennis player in the world. She was also the toughest.

Visiting a pre-Title IX world
Batumi is a town on the Black Sea in western Georgia, with high-rise hotels and glittery casinos competing for the skyline with worn Soviet-era apartment buildings where arcs of laundry hang flat under windows.

Women in Sports: Novelties No More
The novelty of women in sports is wearing thin. And that’s a good thing. Brittney Griner, after a crushing Sweet 16 defeat ended her career, found herself filling headlines instead of the lane when Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban floated the possibility of choosing her in the men’s NBA draft.

NWSL hopes third time a charm for women's soccer
One scene is lodged in the mind of Arnim Whisler, one thought that pushes away the rest when any other smart businessman might question the feasibility of what he continues to dedicate himself to.

JanetTV Launches Sports Channel with Around the Clock Coverage for Female Athletes
New network JanetTV has launched, becoming the first sports channel dedicated to featuring 24-hour coverage of female athletes and their sports, which will range from action sports like surfing, snowboarding, and motocross to many other mainstream sports disciplines. Here’s the press release:

Inbee Park has bold game, shy demeanor
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- No one has ever asked Tiger Woods to smile more on the golf course. Especially this past week.

Attack will test marathon community
BOSTON -- I could lie and say I heard and felt the explosions that will mark Boston and its famous road race and all of us who were here, or watching from elsewhere, forever. But I didn't. I had my noise-canceling headphones on and I was focused on finishing a story about Shalane Flanagan, who was disappointed she hadn't been able to deliver the race of her life for her hometown fans.

Before 3 To See, this trio starred
In the spring of 1997, when they were poised to be "three to see," the irony was that no one had actually seen them play competitive basketball for a while. All had been on a break from the sport. The pro hoops world that Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Rebecca Lobo were about to enter was exciting, but uncertain. Would this WNBA thing actually last?

Kansas Student Athlete Spotlight: Caity Decker
For most young athletes signing a Letter of Intent to participate in college athletics is a major accomplishment and a proud day for the competitor and their family. Caity Decker and her family experienced this excitement when she signed to row for the University of Kansas in 2011.

U.S. gets payback, gold against Canada
OTTAWA, Ontario -- Call it sweet revenge. Amanda Kessel scored the game-winner as the United States defeated Canada 3-2 for the gold medal at the IIHF Hockey Women's World Championship on Tuesday.

Rivals U.S., Canada face off for gold (again)
OTTAWA, Ontario -- From the moment the puck dropped at the IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championships, there was little doubt that Canada and the U.S. would face one another in the final.

For Westmont College women, sadness fueled an ardor on the court
MONTECITO — Her final pep talk wasn't a pep talk at all. Kirsten Moore was beyond pep.

Big East trio finds way to Big Easy
The right side of the Women's Final Four bracket looks just like you'd expect it to. But if you shift your glance to the other side, you see one of the most unexpected matchups in recent memory.

The perfect storm that helped Louisville upset Brittney Griner & the Baylor Lady Bears in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
There has been a clear strategy for teams to beating interested in beating the Baylor Lady Bears over the last two seasons.

Blue Hens head to first Sweet 16
NEWARK, Del. -- All right, how much do you really love the game?

Robin Roberts to get ESPYS award
Robin Roberts will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage award at the 2013 ESPYS on July 17 in Los Angeles, ESPN announced Tuesday.

Minnesota's record season begs the question
MINNEAPOLIS -- Noora Raty displayed a shy-like smile when asked the question everybody wanted to know. Is the 2012-13 University of Minnesota women's hockey team the greatest ever?

Hijab in Sport and Unhelpful Media Biases
One of the most exciting aspects of the Olympic Summer Games 2012 was that every participating nation sent in women athletes as part of their delegations. Media faithfully reported on the successes and stories of “hijab-clad” women participating in the London Games, the most prestigious sporting event the world of athletics has to offer

NCAA Women's Basketball news bag
I don't know about you, but all I'm doing this weekend is sitting my butt in front of a TV or computer and watching some basketball.

What Brittney Griner says about us
Over the past four years, a certain segment of "fans" in this country have played a silly little game called, unofficially, "What We Say About Brittney Griner."

West Virginia woman wins NCAA rifle titles
A petite, dark-haired young woman tracked a target, using the sight at the business end of a rifle. A trigger squeeze popped a perfect 10 on a scoring monitor, and -- 120 shots of near-perfection later -- the NCAA rifle championship was hers.

Kim Yu-na returns to big stage
Reigning Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na carved out a singular place for herself at the 2010 Winter Games, so it shouldn't be surprising that her theatrical re-entry to top-level competition would be singular as well.

Girl, 11, scores in fight against Philadelphia Archdiocese to play football
Caroline Pla just won her fight to get back on the field.

Elena Myers returns to place she made history
Elena Myers doesn't look big enough to push a motorcycle, much less have complete control of one flying 190 mph around a paved track.

NCAA Track and Field Championships, dot dot dot
Random thoughts, news and views on yesterday’s action… The 4×400 relays are often a microcosm of the meets as a whole. On the men’s side, Florida was very good, nearly breaking the collegiate record, but Arkansas was even better, setting a new record with 3:03.50. And the Hogs didn’t even use Anton Kokorin on the relay, who was 5th in the open 400 in 46.07…

Kathy Nelson will be on her game for the Big 12 tournament
Kathy Nelson of Lenexa is president and chief executive officer of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation. The commission is charged, together with the Sprint Center, the Convention and Visitors Association and the city, with putting on the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament, which begins Wednesday at the Sprint Center. This conversation took place in Nelson’s office downtown.

Dedication earns Northland coach a spot in Special Olympics Missouri Hall of Fame
About 30 years ago, Linder Wiederholt got involved with Special Olympics as a fan watching her younger brother. She stuck with Special Olympics, participating in virtually every facet including coaching, fundraising, mentoring, leadership, planning committees and recruiting.

FC Kansas City set to open training camp
PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS – The inaugural FC Kansas City season is set to begin on Monday, March 11th at 9am when Coach Vlatko Andonovski meets with his team for the first time. The introductory staff meetings will mark the beginning of the team’s 2013 Official Training Camp. The team will train at Park Hill South High School, Park University and the SoccerFIT Academy in Overland Park. Most sessions will be open to the public and have at least limited media availability.

2013 NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track & Field Preview

Lacy Asdourian holding court on the boys' team
It might be the worst pregame ritual in America. Isolated in a barren, dimly lit high school bathroom, away from coaches and teammates. There’s no locker, no bench, no filtered water. Want to put on your team socks and lace up your hi-tops? That's fine. Have a seat on the toilet -- it's the only place to sit down.

It's tournament time

Amputee Melissa Stockwell refuses to slow down
In April 2004, Army 1st Lt. Melissa Stockwell lost her left leg to a roadside bomb, becoming the fir

Judge saves women's volleyball at Quinnipiac
BRIDGEPORT -- For the second time in nearly three years, a federal judge stopped Quinnipiac University from cutting women's volleyball from its athletic program.

Gaza Marathon Canceled After Women Are Barred From Participating
GAZA — Gaza’s third marathon run, an annual fund-raising event planned for April 10, was canceled after the Palestinian territory’s Islamic leaders barred women from participating, the organizer, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said on Tuesday.

Super Woman is Real! Meet the Women Redefining What Little Girls Want to Be When They Grow Up
As an NCAA All-American coxswain for the Princeton Women’s Rowing Team, Elisette Carlson, Founder of SMACK! Media, looked towards a future of possibilities. Alongside lofty career goals and the desire to start a family, she was also determined to keep sports as a part of her life because according to Elisette, “I loved the way I felt when I was participating in a sport, being active or competing.”

Promising pair stands in for Fierce Five
WORCESTER, Mass. -- A year ago, Kyla Ross was a rookie with Olympic dreams, Katelyn Ohashi was a promising junior competitor, and nobody outside of the deeply committed U.S. gymnastics fan base had heard of Simone Biles.

Minnesota duo proves potent scoring punch
MINNEAPOLIS -- From the day Hannah Brandt committed to the University of Minnesota in November 2011, women's hockey coach Brad Frost imagined her on a line with Amanda Kessel, melding Brandt's great shot and grit with Kessel's blazing speed and clever passing.

Female Kicker Blazes Trail at NFL Regional Combine
Lauren Silberman, a 28-year-old from New York City, will make history March 2 when she becomes the first female to ever participate in a regional NFL Draft Combine according to NFL.com .

What to make of recent women's sports milestones
At first glance, the following female athletes wouldn't seem to have a whole lot in common beyond the on-field milestones they've recently set. But if you look a little closer, what they've all done is provide glimpses -- however long or dramatic or brief -- into just how women's sports might finally reach its most stubbornly unconquered frontier.

Stringer passes tests on way to 900
Sometimes it will surprise her young charges when Rutgers women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer casually drops a pop-culture reference into conversation. Beyonce this or Ne-Yo that. It's actually not calculated on her part, but rather stuff she has picked up.

I always knew good would come from swimming
PHOENIX, Arizona, February 20. NEXT month, Esmeralda Perez finds out whether the port in her chest can be removed. When the high school senior was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma last year, the first thing that crossed her mind was not her personal health; it was her ability to continue doing what she loved.

Janet Guthrie outraced insults to make history
The sign said, "JANET GRAB THAT POLE." It was May 14, 1977, pole day for the biggest race in the world, the Indianapolis 500. A conga line of cars eased down pit road, pushed by their crews and chaperoned by their drivers. Fans packed the grandstands on either side of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's fabled frontstretch. Most were there to cheer the legendary likes of A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and the Unsers.

Famous female firsts in sports history
Based on the news that Danica Patrick won the Daytona 500 pole Sunday, here are more famous female firsts in sports history.

Brittney Griner reaches 3,000 career points as Baylor wins again
HARTFORD, Conn. -- It had been a while since Brittney Griner and Baylor faced a true test on the court.

For Oklahoma, Play 4Kay personal
We don't want to get all "Steel Magnolias" on you here, but you can probably imagine this. Your best friend has recently found out she has cancer. You're both reeling. But you're also the fiercely optimistic "let's figure out what to do next" kind of people.

Katie Pettibone serves as mentor on the sea
It's one thing to watch from afar and feel positive about the slow but tangible advances being made by women athletes in Arab countries. It's something else again to travel to that part of the world and exert a hands-on influence.

New women's soccer league will open season in KC
A newly formed women’s outdoor soccer league will make its debut in Kansas City.

Play 4Kay: Feb 17-18
For the seventh consecutive year, ESPN will support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in partnership with The V Foundation and Women's Basketball Coaches Association during its annual Play 4Kay women's college basketball games Sunday and Monday.

Female auto engineers make marks while outnumbered
Alicia Boler-Davis was the first General Motors plant manager to also lead a vehicle launch — for the Chevrolet Sonic.

Lindsey Vonn targets November
The swelling around Lindsey Vonn's repaired right knee has gone way down a day after surgery and her spirits way up.

Stacy Lewis is where she wants to be
There is one -- and pretty much only one -- favorite activity at which Stacy Lewis doesn't have ambition to succeed. When she casts her line into the water, it isn't important if she gets a bite.

Jones' dream of Olympic medal turns to winter
KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia -- Sit uncomfortably through the 10-hour flight from JFK in New York to Moscow. Connect to a two-hour flight south to Sochi on the Black Sea. Negotiate awkwardly with a Russian taxi driver to drive you 30 winding, potholed miles into the soaring Caucasus Mountain range. Follow slowly behind an endless snake of cement trucks, dump trucks and earth movers. Reach the massive, muddy construction zone that will be the alpine site for next year's Winter Games. Turn right past the security guards for a short climb up to 2014 Olympic sliding center.

Teri Griege doesn't let cancer hold her back
When Teri Griege was diagnosed with colon cancer three weeks after completing a half Ironman in 2009, her own doctors privately thought the worst. Her frame was strong and muscular; inside her disease was advanced and had spread to the liver. Statistically, she had a 5-to-10-percent chance of living another five years.

Trying to keep pace with super Sam Gordon
NEW ORLEANS -- Sam Gordon is asking me if I have seen the TV show "Hannah Montana."

Baker University's Pat Long cracks the glass ceiling for women
BALDWIN CITY, KS (KCTV) -Tucked away in tiny Baldwin City is Baker University, which is the oldest university in Kansas.

Noelle Pikus-Pace prepares for another Olympic run
Noelle Pikus-Pace feels at peace. Many might find that odd considering her job is to hurtle down icy chutes, face first, on her stomach, with her chin just inches from the ground, at speeds that top 70 mph. But Pikus-Pace knows she is right where she's meant to be.

Diana Nyad abandons marathon swim

Augusta National finally sees the light

Strong is pretty, and Olympics are proof

Woman to Officiate NFL Game

Dramatic photo finish highlights thrilling results of women's London Olympic Triathlon

For women in sports, London 2012 sets milestone

2012 Summer Olympics: American Girls, Whom to watch in this year's Summer Games

More women than men on 2012 U.S. Olympic team

Women's Basketball: OU lesson still extremely important

'Battle of the Sexes' a resounding win for women

Thankful for Title IX, all sports heroes

Global mentoring program launched