By: Claire Watkins | Just Women’s Sports
Thursday’s 2024 ESPYs doubled as a celebration of the rising popularity of women’s sports, as retired tennis superstar Serena Williams hosted the proceedings with ease.
“Get up, get off the TikTok, work hard, find out how capable you are. Be great. Be so great they don’t want to believe in you and then be even greater,” she told the next generation at the end of her opening monologue.
Women’s sports take center stage at ESPYs
Athletes in women’s sports were big winners throughout last night’s ceremony, reflecting a watershed year across the entire sporting landscape.
Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark took home both the Best College Athlete and Best Record Breaking Performance Awards for her historic NCAA career at Iowa.
USC star JuJu Watkins won Best Breakthrough Athlete after an exceptional freshman season with the Trojans.
Gymnast Simone Biles won Best Comeback Athlete, as the two-time Olympian prepares for her third Summer Games later this month.
Las Vegas Aces’ all-time leading scorer A’ja Wilson came up big in both the Best Women’s Sports Athlete and Best WNBA Player categories.
The undefeated 2023-24 South Carolina Gamecocks won the award for Best Team.
Dawn Staley honored with individual award
SC coach Staley picked up her own honor, receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance for her continued contributions in the field of cancer research advocacy.
Named after NC State men’s basketball coach Jim Valvando, the Jimmy V Award recognizes “a deserving member of the sporting world who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination.”
“I must confess, I feel a little undeserving of this recognition,” Staley said in her acceptance speech. “Past recipients of the Jimmy V Perseverance Award have faced incredible challenges and proven themselves as true warriors. I have merely been a spectator to such immense courage and resilience.”
After opening up about her family’s personal connection to the cause, Staley spoke about her greater journey as an advocate, both on and off the court.
“I try my best to do things in the right way, knowing that some little girl is out there watching me… maybe, she’s one of the 13 pairs of eyes that see every little thing I do everyday and make sure to comment on it, that’s my team,” she said, motioning to her undefeated Gamecocks squad seated in the audience.
“How do I not fight pay disparity, when I do the same job and get paid less but win more?” she continued. “I can’t ask them to stand up for themselves if I’m sitting down. Nor can I ask them to use their voice for change if I’m only willing to whisper.”