Lorena Ochoa, a Mexican golfer, was one of the leading players on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour. Ochoa’s success has made her a national sports hero in Mexico.
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People in the United States observe National Hispanic Heritage Month each year from September 15 to October 15. During this period, Latin American countries celebrate their independence. These countries include Cuba, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.

Lorena Ochoa, a Mexican golfer, became one of the leading players on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour (now the KPMG Women’s PGA). Ochoa was named the Player of the Year in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. She was the first person other than Annika Sorenstam of Sweden and Karrie Webb of Australia to win the Player of the Year award since 1996. Ochoa’s success made her a sports hero in Mexico.

During 2006, Ochoa led the LPGA tour with six tournament victories. She also finished second six times. In 2006, 2007, and 2008, Ochoa earned more prize money than any other woman on the tour and also won the Vare Trophy awarded to the golfer with the lowest scoring average. In 2007, Ochoa won the Women’s British Open, becoming the first Mexican-born player to win a major championship on the LPGA tour. She won her second major championship, the Kraft Nabisco (now ANA Inspiration) title, in 2008.

Ochoa was born on Nov. 15, 1981, in Guadalajara, Mexico. She began playing golf at the age of 5. Ochoa was a star player at the University of Arizona in 2001 and 2002. She won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Player of the Year award in both years. Ochoa won the 2003 Nancy Lopez Award, given to the best female amateur golfer from the previous year. Ochoa turned professional in 2002 and was named the Rookie of the Year on the LPGA tour in 2003. In 2004, she became the first Mexican-born player to win a tournament on the LPGA tour. In 2010, Ochoa announced she was retiring from competitive golf. She ended her career with 27 LPGA tournament victories. In 2022, Ochoa was inducted into the LPGA’s Hall of Fame.

Spanish star Olga Carmona scored the only goal in the 2023 Women’s World Cup Championship Game on August 20 at Stadium Australia in Sydney. Spain defeated England 1-0.
Credit: © Chris Putnam, ZUMA Press/Alamy Images

For the first time in history, Spain’s women’s national football team won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Soccer is called football or association football in much of the world. In a dramatic tournament full of firsts, Spain, ranked number 6 in the tournament, is taking home the trophy. On Sunday, August 20th, England and Spain played in Sydney, Australia, with Spain’s La Roja beating the Lionesses 1 to 0. Spain defeated Sweden 2 to 1 in the semifinals on Tuesday, August 15th. England defeated Australia, the host team, 3 to 1 the following day. The championship match marked the first time either team made it to the final game of the World Cup.

The England Lionesses lost several players due to injury, and one player, Lauren James, was suspended from two games after stepping on the back of a Nigerian player in a match last week. Despite this grim outlook, the team had their eyes on the trophy. Goalkeeper Mary Earps kept England afloat in the final match, but in the end, Spain’s offense bested the team. England wasn’t the only upset in the tournament, as the United States Women’s National Team lost to Sweden in round 16 after winning the last two World Cup tournaments.

La Roja has overcome many obstacles in the last year, surprising many with the World Cup title. In October, players complained about the team’s leadership under coach Jorge Vilda. Many of the players refused to play until changes were made, sitting out their country’s first World Cup match. Spain joins Germany, Japan, Norway, and the United States as the only Women’s World Cup winners since the tournament began in 1991.

In the first half, Spain’s Olga Carmona, a 23-year-old left-back for Real Madrid, scored the only goal of the game. After the game, Carmona discovered her father had passed away a few days before the match. Carmona’s goal in the 19th minute of the game allowed Spain to play confidently, controlling the ball with momentum for the rest of the game. Spain possessed the ball for more of the game and made more attempts on goal and shots on target.

In the second half, England’s playmaker Lauren James began playing after sitting out the first half. Play picked up for England, but La Roja still controlled the game. England’s goalkeeper Mary Earps saved a penalty shot from Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso. While England fought to the last minute, Carmona’s first-half goal remained the only score.

Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí earned the Golden Ball, a trophy presented to the best soccer player in the World Cup finals. Bonmatí, a 25-year-old midfielder, started all seven matches for Spain, scoring three times and supporting teammates with two assists. Earps won the Golden Glove for the tournament as the best goalkeeper in women’s soccer. Spain’s Salma Paralluelo, a 19-year-old left winger, was named Young Player of the Tournament. Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa won the Golden Boot after scoring five goals in the tournament.

American soccer player Sophia Smith (11) controls the ball in a game against New Zealand on Feb. 20, 2022, in Carson, California.
Credit: © Ringo Chiu/Shutterstock

Professional soccer player Sophia Smith is a champion. Even though the United States Women’s National Team was eliminated from the 2023 FIFA World Cup tournament, Sophia Smith showcased her talents as a rising star. Australia and New Zealand are hosting the World Cup this year. Smith scored two points against Vietnam, a feat known as a brace, on July 21st. While Smith led U.S.W.N.T. to the next round of the tournament, the team lost to Sweden on Aug. 6th. The loss marked the team’s earliest exit from the tournament in history.

Sophia Smith isn’t new to the spotlight. Smith led the Portland Thorns to win the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championship in 2022. At only 22 years old, Smith became the youngest player in NWSL history to be named league Most Valuable Player (MVP). She is known for her versatility (ability to do many things well) on the field and skilled dribbling.

Sophia Olivia Smith was born on Aug. 10, 2000, in Windsor, Colorado. Smith attended Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins. She was named First-Team All-Conference during her freshman year. Smith began playing for the Under 17 USA team in 2016. In 2018, while playing for the USA Under 20 team at the Women’s World Cup in France, Smith scored three goals. Smith enrolled at Stanford University to play soccer in 2018. She helped Stanford win the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Women’s Soccer Championship in 2019.

In 2020, after her sophomore season at Stanford, Smith was named the number-one recruit for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Smith left college to pursue soccer full-time in the league. She was drafted to the Portland Thorns. The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith debuted for the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) in November 2020. In a game against Uzbekistan on Apr. 9, 2022, Smith scored three goals—a feat known as a hat trick—becoming the youngest USWNT player to score a hat trick since 2000 and the fifth youngest in league history.  In July 2022, Smith scored twice for the United States team to defeat Jamaica 5-0 at the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, qualifying the United States team for the 2023 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics. CONCACAF stands for Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). Soccer is called football in much of the world.

Portland Thorns FC forward Sophia Smith (9) controls the ball in a game against Kansas City Current on Oct. 29, 2022, in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, DC, USA – 29 OCTOBER 2022: Portland Thorns FC forward Sophia Smith (9) goes around Kansas City
Credit: © Tony Quinn, Alamy Images

In 2022, Smith set a Portland Thorns record for scoring 14 goals in a regular season. On Oct. 29, 2022, Smith scored a goal when the Portland Thorns won the NWSL Championship against the Kansas City Current 2-0.

U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky competes in the women’s 800-meter freestyle race during the 2012 Summer Olympics. Credit: © Jae C. Hong, AP Photo

On Saturday, July 29, champion American swimmer Katie Ledecky won gold in the women’s 800-meter freestyle at the 2023 World Aquatics Championship in Fukuoka, Japan. She swam the event in 8 minutes and 8.87 seconds, winning her 16th gold medal at the world championships. This win passed a record she had tied with American swimmer Michael Phelps for the most individual gold medals at the world championships in history! Ledecky also became the first swimmer to win gold six times in the same event. She has also won gold seven times at the Olympics. Katie Ledecky has set world records in the women’s 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1,500-meter freestyle events. She is the gold standard of swimming!

Ledecky first gained international recognition in 2012. That year, at the age of 15, she became the surprise winner of the gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the Summer Olympic Games in London. She was the youngest American athlete to participate in the 2012 games.

Ledecky was a star of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She won individual gold medals in the 200-meter, 400-meter, and 800-meter freestyle races. She also won a gold medal as a member of the 800-meter freestyle relay and a silver medal as a member of the 400-meter freestyle relay.

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Ledecky won four medals. The 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She won individual gold medals in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle races. She also won silver medals in the 400-meter freestyle race and as a member of the 800-meter freestyle relay.

Ledecky won four gold medals at the 2013 FINA World Swimming Championships in Barcelona, Spain, and five gold medals at the 2015 championships in Kazan, Russia. World Aquatics, the governing body of swimming, was called FINA until 2022. At the 2017 championships in Budapest, Hungary, Ledecky won five more gold medals. She won another gold medal at the 2019 championships in Gwangju, South Korea. Ledecky won four more gold medals at the 2022 championships in Budapest, Hungary. Her total of 19 career gold medals at the World Swimming Championships is a record for women swimmers.

Kathleen Genevieve Ledecky was born in Washington, D.C., on March 17, 1997. She became a national swimming star in high school in Bethesda, Maryland. She set American records in the 500-meter freestyle twice, and the national high school record in the 200-meter freestyle twice. Following the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Ledecky entered Stanford University on an athletic scholarship. In 2018, Ledecky announced that she was turning professional as a swimmer. Her decision meant she would be ineligible to swim in college events, but she would still be eligible for the Olympic Games.

Ledecky passed Michael Phelps for the most individual world title wins in swimming history. Phelps ranks as the most dominant and versatile competitor in the history of the sport. Phelps has set world records in five different individual events. He has also been part of relay teams that set world records. Phelps set an Olympic Games record by winning 28 medals. His winning 23 gold medals is also an Olympic record.

Michael Phelps of the Unites States competes in the butterfly leg of the Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay held at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 9 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. The United States team won the gold medal with a world record time of 3:29:34
Credit: © Cameron Spencer, Getty Images

Phelps has also set a number of records at the FINA World Swimming Championships. At the championships in Barcelona, Spain, in 2003, Phelps became the first swimmer to set five individual world records in a single meet. At the 2007 championships in Melbourne, Australia, he won gold medals in all seven events he entered, setting five world records. At the 2009 championships in Rome, Italy, Phelps won five gold medals, setting four world records. In December 2016, Phelps announced his retirement from competitive swimming.

U.S. soccer star Alex Morgan
Credit: © Feel Photo/Shutterstock

Acting as co-captain for the United States at her fourth World Cup, Alex Morgan is a leading star soccer player. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is in Australia and New Zealand. With two World Cup wins, one Olympic gold medal, and hundreds of goals to her name, Morgan dominates the field. Morgan is known for her speed and for her skills as a scorer and playmaker. This year she is playing alongside experienced players Crystal Dunn, Naomi Girma, Lindsey Horan, and Megan Rapinoe. New players adding to the team include Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Alyssa Thompson. The United States Women’s National Team is ranked number one globally. So far, the team has beaten Vietnam 3-0 and tied the Netherlands 1-1. They will face Portugal on Tuesday, August 1. Tune in to watch Morgan command the field!

Morgan, a forward, helped lead the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) to the gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. She also helped the USWNT win a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The 2020 Summer Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forwards are primarily responsible for scoring goals for their team. In 2015 and again in 2019, Morgan helped lead the United States to FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament championships. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). FIFA is soccer’s world governing body. Morgan previously played on the U.S. World Cup team in 2011.

Alexandra Morgan was born on July 2, 1989, in Diamond Bar, California. She did not begin playing club soccer until the age of 14. Club soccer consists of teams playing within a league, in contrast to national teams that represent a country. Her progress was so rapid that she was invited to play on the Under-17 and Under-20 national teams. She was also named a high school All-American. In 2008, Morgan scored the winning goal to make the U.S. team the Under-20 Women’s World Cup champions.

Morgan entered the University of California at Berkeley in 2007. She led the team in scoring all four of her years in college, graduating a semester early with a bachelor’s degree in political economy. Morgan was the first player selected in the 2011 draft held by Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), the top American women’s soccer league until it ceased operations in 2012. In 2013, she joined the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She played the 2016 season with the Orlando Pride, an NWSL expansion team, before joining Olympique Lyonnais in France ‘s top women’s league. Morgan returned to Orlando in 2017. In 2020, she played a few games for Tottenham Hotspur in England before, again, returning to play for Orlando.

Morgan made her U.S. national team debut in 2010. One year later, she scored a goal and recorded an assist in the Women’s World Cup final. In 2012, Morgan led the U.S. national team in goals scored (28), assists (21), and points (77), including 3 goals and 4 assists in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. The U.S. Soccer Federation named her the 2012 Female Athlete of the Year.

Morgan is the author of “The Kicks,” a popular series of books for middle-school readers. The books follow the adventures of four soccer-playing seventh-grade girls. The series began with Saving the Team and Sabotage Season (both 2013). Morgan’s young-adult memoir, Breakaway: Beyond the Goal, was published in 2015.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, front left, in the National Basketball Association Championship game against the Miami Heat on June 12, 2023.
Credit: © Jack Dempsey, AP Photo

On Monday, June 12, the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) defeated the Miami Heat 94-89 to win the franchise’s first NBA championship. The Nuggets won the best-of-seven finals four games to one. Center Nikola Jokić averaged 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists in the series and was named NBA finals most valuable player (MVP). His Nuggets sidekick, point guard Jamal Murray, had clearly recovered from a knee injury that had kept him off the court for the 2021-2022 season. He averaged 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists in the series. Other important players for Denver included guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and forwards Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown, and Michael Porter, Jr.

In game one of the NBA finals, Denver trailed for less than a minute on their way to a 104-93 win. Jokić scored a series-high 41 points in game two, but the Heat made shots and stops in the fourth quarter to take the game, 111-108. In game three, the Nuggets pulled away late in the first half and never trailed thereafter, winning 109-94 behind Murray’s 34 points and 21 rebounds by Jokić. Denver got 27 points from Gordon in game four en route to a comfortable 108-95 win. Game five was a hard-fought, low-scoring affair. Miami held the lead with less than two minutes remaining. From that point, however, the Heat went cold from three-point range, and the Nuggets iced the game, making four consecutive free throws. The home crowd exalted as the team raised the Larry O’Brien Trophy. In the home locker room, the players sprayed each other with so much champagne that there could be no doubt that the Nuggets’ 47-year NBA title drought had ended.

The Denver franchise began in 1967 as the Denver Rockets of the Western Division of the American Basketball Association (ABA). The team changed its name to Nuggets in 1974 in preparation for joining the NBA, where the Rockets were the league’s team in Houston. The 1975-1976 team, featuring David Thompson, Bobby Jones, Ralph Sampson, and Dan Issel, made it to the ABA finals but lost to Julius Erving’s New York Nets. Denver joined the NBA for the 1976-1977 season. The Nuggets proved an instant contender in the NBA, but they failed to advance to the Association finals until Jokić, a two-time league MVP from Sombor, Serbia, willed them there in 2023.

On June 15—declared “Nuggets Nation Day” by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock—some 750,000 fans attended a parade and rally in downtown Denver to celebrate the first-time champions. “This is amazing,” Jokić told the crowd. “We’re all going to remember this our whole lives.”

Denver had the Western Conference’s best regular season record in 2022-2023. The Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, four games to one, in the first-round playoff. They defeated Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, four games to two, in the conference semifinals before sweeping LeBron James’s Los Angeles Lakers in the conference finals. The Miami Heat, for their part, were not a popular bet to reach the NBA finals. But the team, a motley crew of underdogs in the shadows of forward Jimmy Butler and center Bam Adebayo, snuck into the playoffs as the eighth seed in the East and promptly knocked off the favored Milwaukee Bucks, four games to one. The Heat overcame a tough New York Knicks team, four games to two, in the conference semifinals. Miami then faced the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat won the series’ first three games and lost the next three before emerging victorious in the deciding seventh game.

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone holds the Stanley Cup after defeating the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 of the National Hockey League Finals on June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Knights won the series 4-1.
Credit: © John Locher, AP Photo

The Vegas Golden Knights routed the Florida Panthers 9-3 yesterday, winning the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Finals, the National Hockey League’s championship, four games to one. The win caps the Golden Knights’ swift rise from expansion team to member of the upper echelons of the league.

The Golden Knights took an early two-games-to-none lead in the series. The Panthers won a come-from-behind overtime win in game three, but their star forward Matthew Tkachuk fractured his sternum during the contest and was not a major factor in the rest of the series.

With a 10-game point (goals plus assists) streak and 13 goals and 12 assists overall, forward Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoffs’ most valuable player. Marchessault, one of the six remaining players on Vegas’s roster from its inaugural season in 2017, defeated the team that had let him go. In fact, the Panthers traded Reilly Smith to Vegas so they would take Marchessault instead of defensemen Alex Petrovic and Mark Pysyk during the expansion draft. The French-Canadian burned his former team to the tune of four goals and four assists.

Marchessault’s partner in the withering Vegas offense was veteran center Jack Eichel. Eichel scored six goals and had 20 assists in the Golden Knight’s playoff run. After goaltender Laurent Brossoit was injured during the second round, backup Adin Hill helped guide Vegas through a grueling six-game barnburner against the Dallas Stars. The series featured three overtime games and two shutouts from Hill.

The Panthers were the Cinderella story of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They snuck into the tournament with the fewest standings points (92, with two points awarded per win and one point awarded for each overtime loss) of any playoff team. They were paired against the mighty Boston Bruins in the first round. Odds-on favorites to win the Cup, the Bruins had set the NHL records for wins (65 in an 82-game season) and standings points (135). But Florida stunned the hockey world by knocking off Boston in seven games. The upstart Panthers then dispatched the formidable Toronto Maple Leafs in five games and the Carolina Hurricanes in four to reach the Finals.

The Vegas Golden Knights have a short history filled with success. In 2017, the NHL held an expansion draft that allowed the Golden Knights to pick players from other teams. Responding to past expansion teams in the NHL and other sports being mired in mediocrity for years, the league reduced the number of players each team could “protect” from being picked by the new team. Vegas took advantage of the new draft rules and had one of the best inaugural seasons by an expansion franchise in any major professional sport. They finished first in the Pacific Division and made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, but lost to the Washington Capitals. Overall, Vegas has made the playoffs in five of its first six seasons.

Until 2017, Las Vegas had no major professional sports teams. Due to relaxing attitudes towards sports betting and a booming population, that situation quickly changed. Now, the city has a championship NHL team and a National Football League (NFL) team (the Raiders, who moved from Oakland in 2020). Furthermore, on the day the Knights won the Cup, the Nevada state senate passed a bill to fund $380 million towards building a Major-League-Baseball-caliber ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip. The legislative approval was seen as the last major hurdle for the Athletics, currently of Oakland, to move to the state.

With many of its star players signed on for next year, the Golden Knights will remain the bright center of the newly-formed Vegas sports solar system.

Louisiana State University forward Angel Reese approaches the basket during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship against the University of Iowa on Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Dallas, Texas.
Credit: © Ian Halperin, UPI/Alamy Images

The Louisiana State University women’s basketball team beat the University of Iowa Hawkeyes 102 to 85, securing their first National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship title on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023. The LSU Tigers were ranked number three heading into the tournament. The Hawkeyes were ranked number 2 in the league. The two teams played in Dallas, Texas, in front of more than 19,000 fans. The game streamed to a record 9.9 million viewers. The stars of the game were LSU forward Angel Reese and Iowa guard Caitlin Clark. Many records were broken in the matchup.

The LSU Tigers, led by Hall of Fame coach Kim Mulkey, scored 59 points in the first half, setting a new record for the most points scored in a half in a women’s championship game. The Tigers headed into the locker room at halftime with a 17-point lead. Jasmine Carson scored 21 points in the first half, including five three-pointers.

Reese was named the most outstanding player of the Final Four. The six foot three inch (190.5 centimeter) tall junior transferred from the University of Maryland earlier this year. Mulkey’s powerful team had a handful of transfers. Jasmine Carson, a transfer from West Virginia University, scored a team-high of 22 points.

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles to the basket in the NCAA Women’s Regional Final against the University of Louisville on March 26, 2023.
Credit: © Steve Faber, Cal Sport Media/Alamy Images

Iowa star Caitlin Clark scored 30 points in the game, setting the record for the most in a women’s tournament with 191 points. Clark was named the 2023 national player of the year. She broke the previous record of 177 points in a tournament held by Texas Tech University player Sheryl Swoopes since 1993. She also broke the men’s record of 183 points held by University of Michigan’s Glen Rice since 1989.

Clark has been recognized for her sharpshooting, particularly with three-pointers, crisp passes, and emotional reactions. She stands 6 feet (183 centimeters) tall. Clark scored 41 points against the University of Louisville and another 41 points against the University of South Carolina.

LSU’s 102-point game set a record for the most points scored by a team in a women’s championship game. The Tigers also became the third number 3 seeded team to win the title in league history. With many broken records and dynamic players, the championship game was a fun one to watch.

American basketball player Candace Parker
Credit: © SPP Sport Press Photo/Alamy Images

March is Women’s History Month, an annual observance of women’s achievements and contributions to society. This month, Behind the Headlines will feature woman pioneers in a variety of areas.

Candace Parker is an outstanding American women’s basketball player. Parker, a forward, is tall for a female player at 6 feet 4 inches (193 centimeters). She became the first woman to dunk in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball game and then the first to dunk twice in a single NCAA game. Parker is known for her ability to control the game through offense, often leading in points and rebounds.

Candace Nicole Parker was born on April 19, 1986, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her family later moved to Naperville, Illinois. She was a star player at Naperville Central High School, leading her team to state championships in 2003 and 2004. Parker committed to play at the University of Tennessee in 2004. She played for Team USA on the U18 (under age 18) team that won the gold medal at the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Americas Championship. In 2006, Parker joined the Women’s Senior National Team. The next year, she led the team to win the FIBA Americas Championship, qualifying it for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Parker redshirted her first season at the University of Tennessee due to a knee injury. A so-called redshirt player limits their participation in a sport to avoid losing a year of eligibility. Parker helped lead the University of Tennessee to women’s NCAA basketball championships in 2007 and 2008. In both seasons, she led the team in points and rebounds and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament’s Final Four phase.

The Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) made Parker the first player selected in the 2008 WNBA draft. She became the first player to be named the WNBA’s MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same year, for the 2008 season. Parker was named MVP again in 2013. The Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Minnesota Lynx to claim the 2016 WNBA title. Parker scored 28 points and grabbed (caught) 12 rebounds in the final game. She was named the Finals MVP for the tournament. In 2021, Parker signed a two-year contract with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. That season, she led the team to win the WNBA title against the Phoenix Mercury. In 2023, Parker signed a contract to play for the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces.

Parker has also played in professional leagues in China and Russia, winning numerous league titles and individual awards. She played on United States teams that won gold medals in international competitions, including the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

Mikaela Shiffrin is a champion American alpine skier. Shiffrin won the slalom gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, making her the youngest slalom champion in Olympic history. In 2018, she won the giant slalom gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. She has also won the slalom world championship several times.
Credit: © Stefan Holm, Shutterstock

March is Women’s History Month, an annual observance of women’s achievements and contributions to society. This month, Behind the Headlines will feature woman pioneers in a variety of areas.

On Saturday, March 11, 2023, American Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin won her 87th World Cup race in Slovenia. Shiffrin broke Swedish skier Ingemar Stenmark’s record for most career World Cup victories. Her record-breaking victory occurred 12 years after her first World Cup win at 15. She completed the course hundredths of a second faster than her opponents, securing her place as one of the greatest skiers of all time.

Shiffrin was born on March 13, 1995, in Vail, Colorado. She began skiing at the age of 3. Her family moved to New Hampshire when she was 8. Shiffrin graduated in 2013 from Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, a high school for young skiers. In 2011, she made her World Cup debut at the age of 15, winning the bronze medal at Lienz, Austria. Later that year, at the age of 16, she won the slalom title at the United States National Championships in Winter Park, Colorado. She thus became the youngest skier to win that event. Slalom skiing involves racing down a winding course with flags. In 2012, she won her first World Cup race and was named World Cup Rookie of the Year.

Shiffrin won the slalom gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, making her the youngest slalom champion in Olympic history. In 2018, she won the giant slalom gold medal and the combined silver medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. She also won the slalom World Championship in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019; the super G World Championship in 2019; the combined World Championship in 2021; and the giant slalom World Championship in 2023. Shiffrin has won more world championship titles (7) than any other American skier.

The slalom, giant slalom, and super G are three of the skiing races that make up the Alpine World Cup. The cup is awarded annually to the men and women who have won the most points in a series of five races—the slalom, giant slalom, downhill, super G, and combined. Shiffrin initially concentrated on the slalom and giant slalom. She won the World Cup slalom title in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2023. In 2019 and 2023, she also won the World Cup giant slalom title. In 2016, she began competing in the other three World Cup events. Shiffrin won the World Cup super G title in 2019. She won the overall World Cup title in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023 for earning the most combined points in all the events. In 2022, Shiffrin won her 47th World Cup slalom race, setting the record for most career World Cup victories in a single event.