Had we known what 2020 had in store, we would’ve sent our sports schedules straight through a paper shredder. We missed the Olympics while college and pro leagues alike canceled competitions and then entire seasons, a tough environment for athletes, fans, and the industry as a whole. But even in a strange and abbreviated sports year, women athletes across the world stayed busy breaking records and making statements.
The NWSL and WNBA put together late seasons and gave us some top-tier sports to enjoy, but of course, players weren’t the only ones changing the game. Kim Ng became the first woman general manager in any of the four major American sports leagues; the NWSL announced plans for a Los Angeles team with a star-studded, woman-dominated ownership group; and women across the sports landscape used their platforms to protest police brutality and racial violence. Looking back, we see women in sports breaking records and glass ceilings while giving us some of the brightest moments of 2020 along the way. Take a look back and relive 12 that we’ll never forget, and get ready (we know we are) for even more brilliance in 2021.