A NEW GENERATION OF TEXAS STARS
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which was signed into law on June 23, 1972, by President Richard Nixon, was not intended solely to ensure equal athletic opportunities for women but to fill holes left uncovered by previous attempts to assure equal rights.
The fact it has come to be viewed as a watershed moment in sports reflects the explosion in women’s athletics over the past 50 years, not only at the high school and college levels but in Olympic sports such as figure skating and taekwondo. As the United States stepped up, the world has followed.
From high schools to the Olympics, Texas has had its fair share of standard bearers and record breakers in more than a dozen sports. Here are 50 of the best, joined by a who’s who of Texas women’s sports pioneers, outstanding coaches and memorable teams.
Nia Abdallah, taekwondo
Began competing at age 9 in Sugar Land and won U.S. Open championships in 2001, 2002 and 2003 before qualifying for the 2004 Olympics, where she won a silver to become the first U.S. woman to medal in the sport.
Danielle Adams, basketball
Two-time junior college All-American at Jefferson College before transferring to Texas A&M. Most Outstanding Player of the 2011 Final Four, scoring 30 points, the second-highest total in a women’s title game, in the Aggies’ 76-70 win over Notre Dame. Played 10 WNBA seasons.
Shawn Andaya, softball
Was 114-28 with 1,234 strikeouts in four years, leading Texas A&M to the 1987 NCAA championship. The three-time All-American was named to the NCAA’s 25-year Women’s College World Series team and Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Simone Biles, gymnastics
Born in Ohio and adopted by foster parents Ron and Nellie Biles. Most decorated gymnast in history with seven Olympic medals, including four golds and a bronze in 2016, and 25 world championship medals, including 19 golds. Seven-time USA Gymnastics all-around champion.
Rita Buck-Crockett, volleyball
Played with Flo Hyman at UH, winning All-America honors in 1977, and was on the 1984
Olympic team. Won the 1989 world beach volleyball title with Jackie Silva, becoming the first Black champion. Member of the International Volleyball Hall of Fame and Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Michelle Carter, track and field
2016 Olympic gold medalist in the women’s shot put, following in the footsteps of her father, 1984 silver medalist Michael Carter. Won five Big 12 championships. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Tamika Catchings, basketball
The two-sport star at Duncanville led volleyball and basketball teams to UIL titles. Four-time All-American at Tennessee who led Lady Vols to the 1998 NCAA championship. Played 15 years with the WNBA Fever, winning the 2012 championship. Four-time Olympic gold medalist. Member of the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Cynthia Cooper, basketball
Two-time NCAA champion at USC who played in Europe before
WNBA’s founding in 1997. Four-time WNBA champion, four-time WNBA Finals MVP and two-time regular-season MVP. Member of the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Clarissa Davis, basketball
Most Outstanding Player of the 1986 NCAA Final Four for unbeaten Texas. Two-time Naismith College Player of the Year and 1989 Wade Trophy winner. 1992 Olympic bronze medalist. Member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Marlen Esparza, boxing
Five-time Houston boxer of the year and three-time AIBA world championships medalist, including the 2014 flyweight championship. First U.S. woman to qualify for the first women’s Olympic boxing tournament in 2012, winning a bronze medal. Current WBA, WBC and The Ring world professional flyweight champion.
Kamie Ethridge, basketball
1981 UIL state champion at Lubbock Monterey. 1986 Broderick Cup winner after helping lead unbeaten Texas to the NCAA championship. 1988 Olympic gold medalist. Member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Zina Garrison, tennis
Learned the game under coach John Wilkerson at Houston’s MacGregor Park. At Wimbledon in 1990, became first the Black woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Althea Gibson.
Won 14 pro singles titles, three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, and singles gold and doubles bronze at the 2000 Olympics. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Brittney Griner, basketball
One of 11 women to win an Olympic gold medal (2016, 2021), an NCAA championship (Baylor in 2021), a FIBA World Cup title (2014, 2018) and a WNBA championship (Phoenix Mercury in 2014). A McDonald’s All-American at Nimitz, she was q three-time Big 12 player of the year and three-time first-team All-WNBA selection.
Carlette Guidry, track and field
Twice exceeded 40 points at the UIL state track meet. Won 12 NCAA championships at Texas and was Southwest Conference track athlete of the 1980s. Twotime Olympic relay gold medalist. Finalist for the 2023 Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Mia Hamm, soccer
Joined her first soccer team at age 5 in Wichita Falls and played for Notre Dame High School before moving to Virginia for her senior year. Four-time NCAA champion at North Carolina. Starred on the U.S. women’s team from 1987 to 2004. Two-time World Cup and Olympic champion.
Fran Harris, basketball
Played on an unbeaten state championship team at South Oak Cliff, captained Texas’ 1986 undefeated NCAA national championship team, and played on the Comets’ 1997 WNBA championship team. Also played for the USA Basketball team that won the 1986 world championship. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Whitney Hedgepeth, swimming
Won two NCAA titles at Florida before transferring to Texas, where she won three more. Two-time Olympian, including a relay gold medal and two silver medals in the backstroke at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Member of the Texas Swimming Hall of Fame.
Flo Hyman, volleyball
Three-time All-American (1976-78) and led UH to two top-five national tournament finishes. 1984 Olympic silver medalist. Died in 1985 of Marfan syndrome, an inherited disorder that affects connective tissue. Member of the International Volleyball Hall of Fame and Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Vera Ilyina, diving
Four-time NCAA springboard champion at Texas and four-time Olympian for Russia. 2000 Olympic gold medalist and 2004 silver medalist in springboard synchro with Yulia Pakhalina. Current finance manager with Calpine in Houston.
Carol Lewis, track and field
The younger sister of Carl Lewis set a high school record in the long jump before moving from New Jersey to attend the University of Houston. Two-time NCAA champion and four-time USA Track and Field champion. Qualified for U.S. Olympic team for boycotted 1980 Moscow Games and competed at the 1984 Olympics.
Tara Lipinski, ice skating
Began roller skating as a child in Delaware and switched to ice skating at age 9. Trained at the Galleria with coach Megan Faulkner before moving in 1993 to Delaware and Detroit to train. Won the 1997 U.S. Figure Skating title and world championship at age 14. Became youngest-ever Olympic skating gold medalist at 15 in 1998.
Nastia Liukin, gymnastics
Born in Russia but moved to U.S. as a child with her parents, Olympic gold medalist Valeri Liukin and rhythmic gymnast Anna Kotchneva. Five-time 2008 Olympic medalist, including all-around gold. Nine world championship medals, including four golds. Member of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Andrea Lloyd, basketball
Three-time All-American and member of the unbeaten 1986 NCAA championship team at Texas. 1988 Olympic gold medalist. Member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Christine Loock, diving
After Title IX’s passage but before the Southwest Conference added women’s team sports, Loock finished third on the 3-meter springboard for SMU at the 1975 men’s SWC championships. Fivetime USA Diving champion and 1975 world bronze medalist. Received an NCAA postgraduate scholarship to attend Harvard Medical School. Member of the Texas Swimming Hall of Fame.
Diana Lopez, taekwondo
Won five international taekwondo championships and 11 junior national and four national titles. 2005 world featherweight champion and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist. Also competed in 2012 Olympics.
Simone Manuel, swimming
Began swimming competitively with First Colony Swim Team and qualified for her first Olympic Trials in 2012 at age 15. Six-time individual and two-time NCAA champion at Stanford. Two-time Olympian, becoming the first Black woman to win an individual medal in 2016.
Five Olympic medals, including two golds, and 16 world medals, including 11 golds.
Jennifer McFalls, softball
Played volleyball, soccer and basketball at South Grand Prairie,
which did not offer softball. Played on club teams in Dallas-Fort Worth before attending Texas A&M, where she was a four-year starter at shortstop and 1993 AllAmerican. Scored the winning run in the 2000 Olympic gold medal game against Japan.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock, wrestling
Two-time state champion at Morton Ranch and two-time Women’s College Wrestling Association champion at Wayland Baptist. Won 2016 Olympic Trials but did not compete because the U.S. did not qualify in her weight class. Won 2019 world championship and 2021 Olympic gold medal at 149.9 pounds.
Dominique Moceanu, gymnastics
Began training as a gymnast at age 3 and moved at age 10 to Houston to train with Bela and Martha Karolyi. Became youngest USA Gymnastics all-around champion in 1995 at age 13. Suffered a stress fracture in 1996 but competed for the first U.S. team to win the Olympic team gold medal.
Athing Mu, track and field
Began competing at age 6 and as a Texas A&M freshman won two NCAA championships and set collegiate records at 400 and 800 meters. Won the 800 meters at the 2021 Olympics, becoming at age 19 the first U.S. woman to win the event since 1968. Ran the year’s fastest time at 800 meters earlier this month in Rome. Current volunteer assistant coach at A&M.
Chiney Ogwumike, basketball
Along with older sister Nneka, led Cy-Fair to the 2008 UIL Class 5A championship. Two-time AllAmerican at Stanford and played in three Final Fours. Played five years with the Connecticut Sun before joining her sister with the Los Angeles Sparks. Two-time
WNBA All-Star.
Nneka Ogwumike, basketball
Along with younger sister Chiney, led Cy-Fair to the 2008 UIL Class 5A championship. Two-time All-American at Stanford and played on four Final Four teams. 2016 WNBA MVP for league champion Sparks. Six-time WNBA All-Star and named to WNBA 25-year All-Star team.
Cat Osterman, softball
Southpaw spin master was national high school player of the year in 2001 with 451 strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA. Four-time All-American at Texas with a 136-25 record and a 0.50 ERA. Her 14.34 strikeouts per seven innings is an NCAA record. Three-time Olympian with one gold medal and two silvers and a 7-1 Olympic record. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Carla Overbeck, soccer
Two-time national youth champion with the Dallas Sting. Four-time NCAA champion at North Carolina. Played on the USA Soccer national team from 1988 to 2000. One Olympic gold medal and one World Cup championship. Member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Yulia Pakhalina, diving
Five-time Olympic medalist for Russia, winning springboard synchro gold in 2000 and silver in 2004 with Vera Ilyina and silver in 2008 with University of Houston diver Anastasia Pozdniakova and individual bronze in 2004 and silver in 2008. Five-time NCAA champion and former UH diving coach after ending her competitive career.
Carly Patterson, gymnastics
Born in Louisiana but moved to Houston and then to Plano to train at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy. Two-time American Cup champion. Individual silver and team gold medal at 2003 world championships. Three 2004 Olympics medals, including allaround gold. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Mary Lou Retton, gymnastics
Began competing in gymnastics in West Virginia but moved to Houston to train with the Karolyis. Three-time American Cup champion. Won five medals at the 1984 Olympics, becoming the first U.S. woman to win the allaround gold. Member of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Sanya Richards, track and field
Born in Jamaica. Three-time Olympian with five medals, including four golds, along with six world championship gold medals. Five-time 400-meter champion at Texas before turning pro. First U.S. woman in 2012 to win Olympic 400 gold since 1984. Two-time IAAF world female athlete of the year. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Louise Ritter, track and field
Four-time USA Track and Field champion in the high jump. Threetime Olympic team member, including boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics. Upset world record holder Stefka Kostadinova, whose mark set in 1987 still stands, to win the 1988 Olympic gold medal. Member of the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame.
Annette Smith, basketball
Member of Texas’ unbeaten NCAA championship team in 1986. Never lost a Southwest Conference league game at Texas. Two-time SWC Player of the Year. Member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jill Sterkel, swimming
Two-time winner of the Honda Award as outstanding college swimmer at Texas. Three-time Olympian with two gold medals, including with the 400meter relay team against East Germany in 1976 at age 15, and two bronzes. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Sheryl Swoopes, basketball
Led Texas Tech to the 1993 NCAA title, scoring 47 points in the championship game against
Ohio State. Three-time Olympic gold medalist. Four-time WNBA champion, six-time All-Star, three-time MVP and five-time defensive player of the year. Member of the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and Texas
Sports Hall of Fame.
Stacy Sykora, volleyball
Three-sport athlete at Texas A&M, winning the Big 12 heptathlon while also playing basketball and volleyball. The three-time Olympian won a silver medal in 2008 while playing the libero position. Named best libero at 2010 world championships. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Tina Thompson, basketball
Four-time WNBA champion, eight-time All-Star, three-time AllWNBA. First pick by the Comets in the inaugural WNBA draft. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Member of the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Teresa Weatherspoon, basketball
Class valedictorian at West Sabine High School in Pineland, was a twotime college All-American and played for Louisiana Tech’s 1988 NCAA national champions. 1988 Olympic gold medalist and 1992 bronze medalist. Three-time WNBA finalist with the New York Liberty. Member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and Texas
Sports Hall of Fame.
Laura Wilkinson, diving
Won 19 USA Diving championships and two NCAA titles at Texas. Was the only woman to win platform diving events at the Goodwill Games, FINA world championships and Olympics. Three-time Olympian. Won 2000 gold medal less than a year after crushing her foot in a training accident. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Christa Williams, softball
Played for UIL championships at Dobie, clinching the 1995 title with a perfect game. Two-time Olympic gold medalist with a 4-0 record in 1996 and 2000. Transferred from UCLA to Texas after the school added softball in 1997, and in 1998 led the Longhorns to the Women’s College World Series. Member of the National Softball Hall of Fame.
Dana Vollmer, swimming
Began swimming with the Fort Worth Swim Team and required heart surgery as a teenager to correct a quickened pulse. Swam at Florida before transferring to California, where she won three NCAA titles. Sixteen world championship medals and seven Olympic medals, including five golds. Member of the Texas Swimming Hall of Fame.
Sophia Young, basketball
Born in the West Indies and raised in Louisiana. Two-time All-American at Baylor. 2005 Final Four Most Outstanding Player for the national champion Lady Bears. Played 10 years with the Silver Stars. Three-time WNBA All-Star. Member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Kim Zmeskal, gymnastics
Began gymnastics at a gym bought in the mid-1980s by the Karolyis. Three-time USA Gymnastics all-around champion. First U.S. woman to win the world all-around championship in 1991. 1992 Olympic bronze medalist. Five world medals, including three golds. Member of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.