UC Santa Cruz Celebrates National Girls & Women in Sports Day with a Week of Empowerment
2/9/2026 11:50:00 AM | General, Banana Slugs Recreation
SANTA CRUZ, Ca. - The UC Santa Cruz Athletics & Recreation Department proudly marked National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) with a week of events centered on leadership, community, and the power of sport.
National Girls & Women in Sports Day began in 1987 as a special day in the nation's capital to recognize women's sports. The celebration united premier organizations and elite women athletes to bring national attention to the promise and potential of girls and women in sport.
The week kicked off with the department's Mental Health Committee hosting a debrief of Wolfpack, the memoir by soccer legend Abby Wambach. The session invited students to reflect on leadership, resilience, and the value of embracing failure as an opportunity for growth.
On Tuesday, February 3, UCSC welcomed panelists Steph Graziano '18 (Director of Community & Public Relations for the Santa Cruz Warriors), Marci Haduca Covell '04 (Assistant Athletics Director of Compliance and Senior Woman Administrator at CSU East Bay), Baseball For All and WPBL draftee Arwen McCullough, and 2008 Olympic diver and UCSC diving coach Ariel Rittenhouse. Moderated by Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Recreation for Business Operations and Physical Education, Senior Woman Administrator, Cristen Babik, the panel offered meaningful insights and firsthand stories about their experiences as women in sport to more than 110 attendees. Prior to the panel, a select group of student leaders were also invited to a dinner with the panelists to connect and learn in a more intimate setting.
On February 4, National Girls & Women in Sports Day itself, more than 40 elementary and middle school students visited campus for a free youth sports clinic. Participants rotated through sport stations led by UCSC student-athletes from Club Softball, Club Women's Lacrosse, Spirit Squad, NCAA Women's Volleyball, NCAA Women's Diving, NCAA Women's Tennis, NCAA Women's Golf, and NCAA Women's Basketball. The clinic provided an opportunity for participants to develop new skills, try new sports, and connect with collegiate role models.
The week concluded on Thursday at the West Field House as UCSC Women's Basketball competed against Simpson University. At halftime, athletes from Santa Cruz Strong Basketball took part in a scrimmage. Following the game, spectators received commemorative posters and had the opportunity to collect autographs from members of the team.
"Bringing together youth, students, alumni, and professionals made this week of events incredibly special. National Girls & Women in Sports day gave us the opportunity to celebrate women in sport while strengthening the sense of community. I am already looking forward to making next year's lineup of events even more impactful." - Cayla Neipris, Associate Director of Athletics and Recreation for Compliance, Student Athlete Services, and Internal Operations
From inspiring dialogue to hands-on participation, UC Santa Cruz's NGWSD celebration honored the achievements of girls and women in sports while reinforcing the university's commitment to inclusion, leadership, and lifelong well-being through athletics and recreation.
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National Girls & Women in Sports Day began in 1987 as a special day in the nation's capital to recognize women's sports. The celebration united premier organizations and elite women athletes to bring national attention to the promise and potential of girls and women in sport.
The week kicked off with the department's Mental Health Committee hosting a debrief of Wolfpack, the memoir by soccer legend Abby Wambach. The session invited students to reflect on leadership, resilience, and the value of embracing failure as an opportunity for growth.
On Tuesday, February 3, UCSC welcomed panelists Steph Graziano '18 (Director of Community & Public Relations for the Santa Cruz Warriors), Marci Haduca Covell '04 (Assistant Athletics Director of Compliance and Senior Woman Administrator at CSU East Bay), Baseball For All and WPBL draftee Arwen McCullough, and 2008 Olympic diver and UCSC diving coach Ariel Rittenhouse. Moderated by Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Recreation for Business Operations and Physical Education, Senior Woman Administrator, Cristen Babik, the panel offered meaningful insights and firsthand stories about their experiences as women in sport to more than 110 attendees. Prior to the panel, a select group of student leaders were also invited to a dinner with the panelists to connect and learn in a more intimate setting.
On February 4, National Girls & Women in Sports Day itself, more than 40 elementary and middle school students visited campus for a free youth sports clinic. Participants rotated through sport stations led by UCSC student-athletes from Club Softball, Club Women's Lacrosse, Spirit Squad, NCAA Women's Volleyball, NCAA Women's Diving, NCAA Women's Tennis, NCAA Women's Golf, and NCAA Women's Basketball. The clinic provided an opportunity for participants to develop new skills, try new sports, and connect with collegiate role models.
The week concluded on Thursday at the West Field House as UCSC Women's Basketball competed against Simpson University. At halftime, athletes from Santa Cruz Strong Basketball took part in a scrimmage. Following the game, spectators received commemorative posters and had the opportunity to collect autographs from members of the team.
"Bringing together youth, students, alumni, and professionals made this week of events incredibly special. National Girls & Women in Sports day gave us the opportunity to celebrate women in sport while strengthening the sense of community. I am already looking forward to making next year's lineup of events even more impactful." - Cayla Neipris, Associate Director of Athletics and Recreation for Compliance, Student Athlete Services, and Internal Operations
From inspiring dialogue to hands-on participation, UC Santa Cruz's NGWSD celebration honored the achievements of girls and women in sports while reinforcing the university's commitment to inclusion, leadership, and lifelong well-being through athletics and recreation.
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