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Clare Brennan

Dec 30, 2021

The top 21 women’s sports moments from 2021

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 20: Kelley O’Hara #5 of Washington Spirit celebrates after scoring during extra time against Chicago Red Stars during the NWSL Championship held at Lynn Family Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

From Carli Lloyd hanging up her cleats to Allyson Felix shattering records to Emma Raducanu announcing herself to the world, 2021 was a defining year for women’s sports.

As the year comes to a close, we’re looking back at the decisive moments from a banner 12 months that included NCAA championships, the Olympics and a landmark NWSL season.

Here are the top 21 women’s sports moments from 2021:

1. Stanford wins NCAA basketball tournament

Stanford won its first National Championship since 1992 and the third title in school history, defeating Arizona 54-53 back in April. The thrilling final capped off a record-breaking season for the Cardinal, with coach Tara VanDerveer passing Pat Summit as the winningest head coach in DI women’s basketball history. With 4.08 million viewers tuned in to ESPN for the championship, Stanford and Arizona’s nail-bitter marked the most-matched title game since 2014.

2. Odicci Alexander’s WCWS stand

James Madison’s Odicci Alexander burst onto the scene over the summer, leading her school to an unlikely Women’s College World Series run in June. The star pitcher threw 1,057 pitches, recording a staggering 66 strikeouts in leading James Madison to the semifinals, the first unranked team to do so in WCWS history. James Madison’s historic run included a massive first-round upset against No. 1 Oklahoma, capturing national attention and catapulting Alexander to softball fame.

3. Ash Barty wins Wimbledon

Ash Barty made history in July, becoming the first Australian woman to win Wimbledon since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980. The world No. 1 defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3 to capture her second Grand Slam title.

4. Sha’Carri Richardson bursts onto the scene

Sha’Carri Richardson sprinted into track and field celebrity over the summer when she clocked a winning time of 10.86 seconds in the 100m final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in June. Her first-place finish was later disqualified when it was found out that Richardson tested positive for marijuana, bouncing her from the Olympics with a one-month suspension. The ordeal followed the passing of Richardson’s biological mother and spurred a conversation about mental health and rules banning marijuana that many now deem outdated. Despite not racing in Tokyo, Richardson was one of the breakout athletes of the year.

5. Simone Biles rewrites the script

Simone Biles shocked the world when she withdrew from the gymnastics team all-around event at the Tokyo Olympics after being overcome by the dreaded “twisties.” The gymnastics icon went on to pull out of the individual all-around, vault and uneven bars. Biles’s prioritization of her health was a rare and welcome change, instigating a conversation about mental health in sport. Naomi Osaka also contributed to the broader conversation on mental wellbeing when she withdrew from several events on tour. After a trying year of isolation and loss, athletes advocating for mental health offered a timely shift in the cultural perspective.

6. Suni Lee wins gold

American gymnast Suni Lee stepped into the spotlight when Biles stepped back from the individual all-around event in Tokyo. The 18-year-old dazzled audiences, beating out her competition with a score of 57.433 to capture gold in gymnastics’ most recognized event. Lee’s Olympic title also made her the first Hmong American gymnast to win an individual gold medal.

7. Allyson Felix cements her legacy

Allyson Felix became the most decorated track and field athlete of all time after winning a bronze medal in the 400m and gold in the 4×400-meter relay in Tokyo. The five-time Olympian surpassed a record set by Carl Lewis, increasing her medal count to 11, the most of any American track and field athlete to date. At 35 years old, Felix’s accomplishment is made more impressive by the fact that she gave birth to her daughter in 2018, between her last two Olympic campaigns.

8. Ariarne Titmus upends Katie Ledecky

Ariarne Titmus swam her way to the top of the podium in Tokyo, dethroning American swimming star Katie Ledecky in the process. The Australian swimmer captured gold in the 400m freestyle, becoming the first athlete to beat Ledecky in an individual Olympic event. Titmus also took home a gold in the 200m freestyle, capping off a breakout Summer Games. The now 21-year-old’s incredible performance captured international attention, but perhaps no one was as excited as her coach Dean Boxall, who went viral for his celebration following Titmus’s 400m victory.

9. April Ross & Alix Klineman dominate the beach

April Ross and Alix Klineman, or “the A-Team” as the duo is lovingly called, dominated the beach volleyball competition to capture gold in Tokyo. The Olympic title completed Ross’s trifecta, as she won silver and gold in her two previous Games. Klineman had a very different path to Tokyo, only partnering with Ross starting in 2017 and with less than a year of beach volleyball experience. Now, the pair are beach volleyball royalty.

10. Carissa Moore wins surfing gold

Carissa Moore added to her growing trophy cabinet, clinching the first-ever surfing Olympic gold medal during the Summer Games. The Team USA surfer followed up her podium-topping performance in Tokyo with her fifth WSL title, solidifying herself as a legend in the sport.

11. Nelly Korda caps golden year

Nelly Korda had a landmark 2021, becoming the first golfer to win Olympic gold and a major championship in the same year. The 23-year-old tapped in a four-foot putt to capture gold on the Kasumigaseki Country Club’s 18th hole before being embraced by sister Jessica in what was a historic moment for the Korda family, Team USA and the sport of golf.

12. Christine Sinclair wins elusive Olympic gold

Christine Sinclair is already a bona fide soccer legend. At 38 years old, she has the most international goals of all active players with 188 and has won just about every award there is to win in the sport. An Olympic gold, however, had always eluded the Canadian superstar, until this summer, when Sinclair and Canada downed Sweden in a thrilling PK shootout to win gold after defeating the USWNT on their path to victory.

13. Cat Osterman retires (again)

Cat Osterman hung up her cleats for good this year after coming out of retirement for the Tokyo Olympics. The American pitcher helped Team USA to a silver medal and officially closed out her historic career with a successful Athletes Unlimited season, coming second in strikeouts after winning the league’s inaugural season in 2020. On top of an Athletes Unlimited title, Osterman leaves the sport with two Olympic silver medals and a gold, and is widely considered one of the best pitchers in softball history.

14. Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi do it again

The Team USA basketball dynasty continued in 2021, with the Tokyo squad winning the program’s seventh straight gold during the Summer Olympic Games. Legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi made their own history in Tokyo, becoming the first basketball players to win five Olympic gold medals. After the team’s 90-75 victory over Japan, Bird talked about the next generation of players carrying the Team USA torch in the future, while Taurasi signed off the interview by saying, “see you in Paris.” It might have only been a joke about the 2024 Olympics in France, but we’re not counting either GOAT out yet.

15. Trinity Rodman’s grand debut

Trinity Rodman fielded one of the most compelling rookie seasons in NWSL history, finishing the season with seven goals and seven assists. The youngest player drafted in NWSL history, the 18-year-old ran away with the NWSL’s Rookie of the Year race while also helping lead the Washington Spirit to their first-ever NWSL Championship. Sharing the pitch with some of the best in the game, Rodman was perhaps the most impactful player in the final against the Chicago Red Stars, registering the game-winning assist.

16. Emma Raducanu wins the US Open

This year’s US Open was one for the history books, featuring an all-teenage final between two previously unknowns: Canada’s Leylah Fernandez and England’s Emma Raducanu. The 18-year-old Raducanu pulled out the win over Fernandez, clinching the Grand Slam without ever dropping a set, the first person to do so since 2014. The Englishwoman was also the first qualifier ever to capture the US Open title and the first British woman to win a Grand Slam in 44 years. Raducanu’s meteoric rise catapulted her to international fame, as the rookie firmly planted herself at the fore of tennis’ next generation.

17. Shalane Flanagan’s marathon of marathons

Shalane Flanagan crossed the finish line at the New York City Marathon with a time of 2:33:32, completing her goal of running six marathons in six weeks. The 2017 NYC Marathon winner completed the Berlin, Boston, London, Tokyo (remote), Chicago and New York Marathons, running each of them in under three hours. The 40-year-old, now retired from professional running, celebrated the self-imposed project by cheering USWNT icon and fellow NYC Marathon participant Abby Wambach at the race’s finish line.

18. Candace Parker brings WNBA title to Chicago

Candace Parker had a 2021 to remember, winning a WNBA Championship with her hometown team, the Chicago Sky, in her first year with the squad. Parker led the Sky in an unlikely title run, clinching the league championship after entering the playoffs as the No. 6 seed. With help from Finals MVP Kahleah Copper and seasoned veterans Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot, Parker clinched her second WNBA title and Chicago’s first championship in franchise history. Later, Parker announced her marriage to Anya Petrakova, with the couple expecting their first child together. Did anyone have a better 2021?

19. The NWSL’s moment of solidarity

The NWSL underwent a league-wide reckoning in 2021 after multiple players went public with a series of accusations of abuse and misconduct against several prominent coaches. A bombshell report in The Athletic rocked the league, with former players Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly going on the record with claims of sexual coercion and abuse against former North Carolina coach Paul Riley. The story spurred a sequence of events, including NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird stepping down from her position and the players taking a weekend off from competition. When the athletes returned, they paused at the sixth minute of their matches to recognize the years of silence both Shim and Farrelly endured. A list of demands accompanied the move, instigating an international and ongoing conversation on players’ rights and safety. Needless to say, the league will never be the same.

20. Carli Lloyd’s Philly send-off

Carli Lloyd received a sendoff fit for her historic career after the 39-year-old icon announced she would retire at the end of the NWSL season. Before Lloyd hung up her cleats, her hometown fans got one final chance to watch her play in Subaru Park in Philadelphia after Gotham FC organized a farewell match. The USWNT legend was given a proper salute from nearly 10,000 fans, delivering an emotional farewell speech after the game.

21. Washington Spirit win NWSL title

The Washington Spirit captured the team’s first NWSL Championship in franchise history in November after a rollercoaster season. On the pitch, the team persevered despite several off-field controversies, including former coach Richie Burke’s being fired following reports of abuse, an ongoing public dispute between owners, and two forced forfeits due to a violation of COVID protocols. The Spirit weathered the storm to end their season on a seven-game win streak, including a thrilling 2-1 victory over Chicago in the NWSL final.

Claire Watkins

Dec 3, 2025

Why ‘Greatest Wrapper’ Flau’jae Johnson Is the Heart of LSU Basketball — On and Off the Court

LSU star Flau'jae Johnson poses holding a basketball for a DICK'S Sporting Goods promotion.
LSU senior guard Flau'jae Johnson is the glue keeping the NCAA program together. (DICK'S Sporting Goods)

Star LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson knows exactly what she'd get head coach Kim Mulkey for Christmas.

"Blue crabs," she told Just Women's Sports in November, days before DICK'S Sporting Goods declared her Greatest Wrapper in the Game, a promotion touting the college senior's own wrapping paper line and online video series. "Me and her, we like to eat blue crab."

Ranked No. 5 in the AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll, LSU is never far from the Final Four conversation. But Johnson — who's increasingly brought a personal touch to her leadership role on the Tigers — has ambitions that extend far beyond finishing out her collegiate career on top.

Already an NCAA champion with eyes on next year's WNBA draft, the 22-year-old dynamic guard  has cemented her legacy as a multi-talent. She's a decorated musician and rapper, an interdisciplinary studies major with a minor in sports administration, and a menace on the court with a motor that never quits. 

"I gotta be me first," she said — and that's the secret to her success.

Flau'Jae Johnson #4 of the LSU Tigers in action against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on November 6, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Flau'jae Johnson leads LSU in points, assists, and three-point percentage per game this season. (Kristen Young/University Images via Getty Images}

As LSU's leading scorer, Flau'jae Johnson is off to the races

Johnson knows that the Tigers' nonconference schedule rarely features marquee matchups. 

"We don't play nobody in our nonconference schedule," she said. "From December on out, that's when it gets really [exciting]." 

Mulkey often schedules a slow start for the team, gradually building towards peak form once LSU enters SEC play in January.

That hasn't stopped the Tigers from showing the country what they're capable of this season. They've scored more than 100 points through all eight matchups so far, setting a new NCAA record for consecutive 100+ point games. 

Johnson's progress has featured heavily in every blowout win. She leads the team in points, assists, and three-point percentage per game. But she sees her greatest growth in the intangibles.

LSU Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey reacts after a play by LSU Tigers guard Flau'Jae Johnson (4) during the first half against the Tulane Green Wave at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse.
Veteran Tiger Flau'jae Johnson has become a liaison between coach Kim Mulkey and her teammates. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)

Flau'jae Johnson steps up as LSU coach Kim Mulkey's right hand

A self-described loner, Johnson strived to connect with new teammates throughout her four years in Baton Rouge. It's an especially important task as part of an LSU team that thrives through the transfer portal. 

The Tigers won the NCAA championship in 2023 — Johnson's freshman year — led by transfer forward Angel Reese, who was then joined the following year by high-profile transfers Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow. This season, former South Carolina Gamecock MiLaysia Fulwiley has entered the mix, with Johnson quickly creating chemistry. 

"Ballers just want to ball, like hoopers just want to hoop," she said. "You find different ways to bond and gel with teammates." 

When the accomplished hip hop artist's not in the groove working on music, she's trying to extend a hand to the team's freshest faces. "It's been a new job for me as a leader on the team," she said. "It's been easy though, because we just want to hoop."

Year-in, year-out, the Tigers' success relies on picking up instructions and learning schemes quickly, with Johnson — a player very comfortable with Mulkey's system — stepping up to take on the role of team liaison. 

"You've just got to read everybody, their emotions, how they're feeling, and you've just got to be there for everybody," she explained. "But that's not hard for me, because I'm an older sister."

LSU star Flau'jae Johnson poses for a DICK'S Sporting Goods holiday photo shoot surrounded by holiday gifts and basketball gear.
LSU star Flau'jae Johnson's partnership with DICK'S Sporting Goods runs through the holiday season. (DICK'S Sporting Goods)

Holiday trips and Secret Santas: Flau'jae Johnson's familial drive

Family is everything to Johnson. Being a college basketball star can make the holiday season tough, as the season runs straight through time she'd love to spend back home in Georgia. And with conference play on the horizon, she knows she has to stay focused on the court now more than ever.

"I kind of put that out of my mind, that I won't be with my family until I go pro, because it used to be hard on me seeing my little brothers go trick-or-treating and stuff without me," she reflected, noting how excited she was to use her own DICK'S wrapping paper to shower her family with gifts this year. 

Her favorite college holiday memory also involves her family, when her entire family traveled to the team's Thanksgiving tournament in the Bahamas. 

"My momma snuck food on the plane — literally the whole Thanksgiving, she cooked it and froze it and put it under the plane," she said, beaming. "And we had a smash Thanksgiving meal in freaking the Bahamas."

This year, Johnson's already looking forward to her team's annual Secret Santa exchange, while also planning to spend her limited time off this winter on a surprise family cabin trip to Colorado The world of NIL has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for Johnson to spread her growing wealth, and she's taken to those opportunities with easy charm.

LSU star Flau'jae Johnson looks on during the 2024 WNBA All Star Game at Footprint Center on July 20, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Flau'jae Johnson supported her former teammates courtside at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game. (Dylan Goodman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Setting sights on No. 1, from Baton Rouge to the WNBA

Far from settling for a decorated college run and lucrative personal brand, Johnson is also locked in on making a smooth transition to the WNBA. The calendar year for rising pros is a physical gauntlet, with the draft taking place just weeks after what LSU hopes will be a deep NCAA tournament campaign.

"I'm so ready to go pro," she said. "I really want to establish myself, to show I could be the number one pick in the draft. I feel like my talent level is there, but I've got to execute." 

"The W is fascinating," she added. "It's forever growing, and it's powerful women doing these things. So I'm just excited to be in that group."

Johnson has recently been focusing on her fitness, anticipating increased physicality at the pro level — while also aiming for balance. "They're not going to be swinging me around like I'm a little rag doll," she laughed. "[But] I feel like my mind is the most important part. I want to grow, I want to get better."

Of course, other than committing to winning at all levels, Johnson doesn't know exactly what her future holds. For now, she'll continue to make music, sharpen her game, and stay true to herself. As a player with so many gifts to give, the rest will come naturally.

JWS Staff

Dec 3, 2025

Former UCLA Softball Star Maya Brady Selected No. 1 Overall in AUSL Expansion Draft

Talons utility player Maya Brady waits on a pitch during a 2025 AUSL game.
Utility player Maya Brady won the inaugural AUSL Championship with the Talons in 2025. (AUSL Softball)

Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) stocked up by adding 43 former NCAA and Olympic stars to its ranks on Monday night, with Talons utility player Maya Brady — niece of retired NFL legend Tom Brady — leading the charge as the No. 1 overall pick by the incoming Oklahoma City Spark in the league's expansion draft.

Starting the inaugural 2025 AUSL campaign on injured reserve, the former UCLA standout went on to feature in six games for the championship-winning Talons, registering one double, one home run, and five RBIs on the season.

The now-six -team league absorbed the previously independent Spark as part of an initial expansion plan, acquiring the Oklahoma City-based squad with the intention of finding permanent homes for all AUSL teams in the near future.

Also joining the AUSL next year is new franchise Cascade, which snagged Volts pitcher and former University of Oklahoma ace Sam Landry as the No. 2 overall pick on Monday.

Though the four original teams protected five players each, the Spark and Cascade raided their rosters in the expansion draft, claiming stars like infielders Sydney Romero (Talons) and Jessi Warren (Volts) as well as pitchers Alana Vawter (Blaze) and Payton Gottshall (Volts) for their debut lineups.

Immediately following the expansion draft, all six teams took part in an allocation draft, selecting athletes from either the 2025 AUSL Reserve Pool or those previously competing outside the league.

Former Oklahoma and Oklahoma State pitcher Kelly Maxwell earned the top pick in the allocation draft, with the new Cascade player joined by other recent NCAA softball legends like former Sooners Kinzie Hansen, Jayda Coleman, and Jocelyn Alo, Florida State's Kat Sandercock and Sydney Sherrill, Washington's Sis Bates, and Clemson's Valerie Cagle.

JWS Staff

Dec 3, 2025

US Soccer Launches Research-Focused Kang Women’s Institute

Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang looks on before the 2025 NWSL Championship.
Multi-team owner Michele Kang pledged $30 million to US Soccer in 2024. (Elsa/NWSL via Getty Images)

US Soccer officially launched the Kang Women's Institute on Tuesday, creating a new platform dedicated to "advancing health, performance, and development for women and girls across the sport" funded by $55 million from multi-team owner Michele Kang.

"For far too long, women and girls have trained under systems and standards built for men, and the Kang Women's Institute is an essential first step in changing that," US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a federation statement. "By grounding our work in real research and evidence, we can finally give female players the support, care, and understanding they deserve.

"This is the beginning of a much larger effort, and Michele has helped us take a huge leap forward in reshaping the future of the women's game for generations to come."

After adding a $25 million investment last April to her original $30 million pledge to US Soccer in 2024, Kang is going all in on addressing the stark lack of sports medicine and exercise science research into women athletes — and female physiology at-large.

"This Institute will put female athletes at the center of US Soccer's scientific research and build the evidence, systems, and standards that will allow women and girls to reach their full potential," promised Kang.

The Institute also outlined its early initiatives in Tuesday's press release, with injury prevention and workload management, developmental best practices, and physical and mental player well-being headlining the projects.

"This is not just about closing a research gap," said Kang. "It's about creating a future where every player has the knowledge, care, and opportunity to thrive."

JWS Staff

Dec 3, 2025

PWHL Aims for Aggressive Pro Hockey League Expansion in 2026

An overhead view of the puck drop at center ice for the 2025 inaugural PWHL game of the Seattle Torrent.
The PWHL added expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver this year. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The PWHL is rapidly looking to ramp up expansion, with EVP of business operations Amy Scheer saying this week that the third-year pro hockey league could welcome "two to four" new teams as soon as next year.

"If I was a betting woman, I'd say it'd be four teams. And then I think we'll hold at 12 for a bit," she told CNBC Sport, noting the league's immediate success with 2025/26 expansion sides the Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Seattle Torrent — the latter of which shattered the US women's hockey attendance record in their Friday home opener.

Accordingly, the PWHL will continue testing possible new markets using the league's historically packed Takeover Tour, with this season's 11-city route expanding to feature seven new host venues.

"What does the support of women's sports look like there?" Scheer said, outlining the league's criteria for assessing potential markets. "If there's an NHL team, what does that look like? Or from the building, is there government support there? How does it impact travel? So there's a lot of factors."

As for the league's notably speedy expansion pace, Scheer told Front Office Sports that the PWHL has "proven that time is overrated."

"The more our numbers grow, the more value we have as a league, the more value we have against our partnerships we sell, the more merchandise we sell," Scheer explained. "Those two things — growth and profitability — are not separate."

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