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Abby Dunkin Talks LGBTQ Advocacy and How Sports Helped Her Find Her Identity

USA’s Abigail Dunkin (L) and Desiree Miller (R) celebrates after defeating Germany in the gold medal match of the women’s wheelchair basketball of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games at the Rio Olympic Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 16, 2016. / AFP / Yasuyoshi Chiba (Photo credit should read YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)

Abby Dunkin is a wheelchair basketball player who won gold at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio as well as at the 2019 World Championships in Suphanburi, Thailand. Below, she spoke with Just Women’s Sports about her introduction to wheelchair basketball, the importance of athlete advocacy, and what comes next following her recent retirement from Team USA. 

What does it mean to you to openly be a member of the LGBTQ community in sports?

Sports, in general, give you this platform and this voice to be able to talk about stuff that’s going on in today’s society. In that sense, to be part of the LGBTQ community gives us a voice to show that love is love — no matter politics, religion, sexual orientation, or culture. To be able to share that as an athlete on this platform is pretty special. Especially since there are a ton of athletes who share a similar voice — who are also part of the LGBTQ community. It shows that we can be successful and we can be good at what we do, while also being part of the LGBTQ community.

Why do you think it’s so important for athletes to be vocal on social justice issues, especially as they relate to the LGBTQ community?

It’s definitely important for athletes who are LGBTQ to speak up. Like I said, it shows that we can be successful. We can do things, we can be happy in the way we live our lives. We are able to normalize it, in a way. Hopefully, one day, people in the LGBTQ community don’t have to come out. We don’t see straight people having to come out, so we should be treated the same. There has been movement and new laws, like the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year was a huge victory for LGBTQ employees. These things will guide the way so one day we won’t have to come out, we can just be who we are.

What has been the role of sports in helping you come into your identity?

For me, discovering wheelchair basketball was a huge turning point. I grew up in New Braunfels, Texas, so there was basically a church on every corner. I knew a few of my friends who were still in the closet and who had fears of coming out because everyone was so religious. Once I was able to, I went to the University of Texas and, during my freshman year, my teammates and friends pushed me in a positive way to come out of the closet. They said, “Hey, it’s okay. We accept you for who you are.” Being in that atmosphere with coaches who were so supportive and teammates who were so supportive made me feel like I could do it. So wheelchair basketball, for me at least, helped me to come out publicly and be okay with myself. And I was lucky to have loving family and friends who supported me. With basketball, it doesn’t matter who you love, who you play for, what your skin color is or who you vote for — it just matters that you can play ball.

What first drew you to wheelchair basketball?

I grew up playing standup basketball and then, in middle school, I had knee surgery for a torn meniscus. After the surgery, the pain never went away, even though I was physically healed. I was diagnosed with CRPS, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. With CRPS, you’re in pain 24/7, even though there is no reason for it. I managed my pain until I was about 16 or 17 and then I realized that I had to do something — it was becoming too much. In 2013, I tried a number of treatments. I tried one treatment where they put electrodes on the outskirts of my chronic pain and I was hooked up to this machine for about an hour a day, five days a week for two weeks. After the first week, I felt really sick. And after the second week, I ended up losing 30 pounds total. One morning, I woke up and I could not walk. I stumbled around and my legs were so tight, I just remember going, “Mom, what is going on?” No one knew what was happening and the doctor refused to see me. So I ended up leaving the treatment early in a wheelchair. I was so excited because I had just been named captain for my high school’s basketball team, and then I came back from this treatment in a wheelchair.

I found wheelchair basketball on YouTube one day and I just thought it was the coolest thing ever. Your arms are jacked and you’re playing ball on chairs. I had no idea people with disabilities could even do that. I had never heard of the Paralympics. My dad was retired military so I was able to try out wheelchair basketball for the first time with guys who had just come back from overseas with either one or both of their legs amputated. I was this 17-year-old scrawny white girl with guys who were twice my age and twice my size, but I absolutely loved the game.

How did you go from playing wheelchair basketball with men in the military to being on Team USA?

From practicing with guys in the military, I got a reference to go and meet with the San Antonio Spurs wheelchair basketball team. They were just getting ready for their season, so I thought I was just going to watch their practice and see what it was all about. Eventually, they invited me onto the roster and I started playing. Then, I got a letter of intent to go play at the University of Texas at Arlington. Literally three months after that, I got recruited for Team USA.

How do you compare the change in perceptions towards LGBTQ athletes and Paralympic athletes over the last few years?

Over the last few years, especially in Rio, it seems like everyone is just coming together, regardless of Olympian, Paralympian, LGBTQ or not LGBTQ. Everybody is just an athlete. As part of the LGBTQ athlete community, I think we all just want to be athletes. We strive for the equality and the equity of just being an athlete. Being part of the LGBTQ community makes it a little bit more special.

So there has been some progression, but what do you think needs to happen or continue to happen in the near future?

I think it is important that we are treated just like our counterparts. As a Paralympian, all we want is to be treated and paid like our Olympian counterparts. Just like how LGBTQ athletes want to be treated the same as straight athletes. We play the same sports at the same competitive level and train the exact same way at the exact same facilities. We all do the same things. So I think equal treatment and equal pay should be at the forefront.

With COVID, how has training been? How is basketball now? 

For me, personally, my health has done a total 180 during the pandemic. I’m now walking and doing a lot of things that I never thought I could do. I actually retired from Team USA last month. A lot of it was due to the pandemic and positive health reasons, but it was definitely a hard decision. I know that, for the team, they cannot go back to the Olympic training center for a few months at least.

Are you continuing to play basketball even though you retired from Team USA?

Yeah, that is one of the things I’m looking at for this upcoming season. I’m thinking about moving to North or South Carolina right now. It’s all still up in the air, but I have built my own home gym. So, I’m still training like I’m playing.

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled to Crown First-Ever 1v1 Tournament Champion

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during an Unrivaled game.
Napheesa Collier is one of four Unrivaled players competing for the 1v1 tournament's $200,000 prize. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Rose BC's Angel Reese defends Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards during an Unrivaled game.
Aaliyah Edwards is one of three UConn alums in the Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

USC Beats UCLA as JuJu Watkins Ends Bruins’ Undefeated NCAA Season

USC's JuJu Watkins drives to the basket between UCLA's Janiah Barker and Elina Aarnisalo.
Watkins scored 38 points to hand UCLA their first loss of the season. (Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images)

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball during a game.
UConn takes on South Carolina on Sunday. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

Pro Women’s Lacrosse League Debuts at WLL Championship Series

A promotional graphic for the WLL Championship Series.
The WLL played its first-ever pro games at this week's Lexus Championship Series. (ESPN)

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

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