USA Volleyball Honors Iconic Olympic Legend Who Sparked Revolution for Equality in Sports to Celebrate NGWS Day

National Girls and Women in Sports Day is celebrated in the USA in recognition of the advancements achieved toward women’s equality in sports. On this day, the sporting realm honors female athletes’ achievements and inspires them to achieve their goals through sports participation. It also serves as a means of encouraging girls and women to participate actively in sports and to emphasize their strength, enthusiasm, and confidence in the realm. Rising to the occasion, USA Volleyball took to reminisce about the legacy of Flo Hyman, a towering figure in US women’s volleyball.

Hyman’s commitment to the game and advocacy for gender equality in sports lives on despite the player tragically passing away in 1986. Her impact lives on through the Flo Hyman Memorial Award, which is presented to rising athletes who embody and reflect her values. To mark the occasion, USA Volleyball took to its X handle to share the history of this day.

Commemorating Flo Hyman’s impact through NGWS Day

The X handle of USA Volleyball shared a picture of the Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman and recalled her greatest achievements. The caption of the post reads, “Today is National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which began in remembrance of USA Volleyball star and Olympian Flo Hyman. In 1986, Flo passed away at 31 while playing in Japan. She won silver at the 1984 Olympics and was a leader in the promotion for equality in women’s sports.”

Since its inception in 1987, the first week of February has been celebrated as National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The 40th US President Ronald Regan announced the first Wednesday in February for the same. It comes as homage to Flo Hyman, who was indeed a trailblazing figure in US women’s volleyball, standing at 6-foot-5 on the court.

Hyman was an excellent outside hitter, and she went on to earn three-time All-American honors at the University of Houston. This prompted her to win the title of National Player of the Year in 1976. She represented the US national team from 1974 to 1984 internationally. While she missed the 1980 Olympics because of the US-led boycott, she went on to secure medals at the 1984 Olympics, and 1982 World Championships, along with the 1983 Pan American Games.

Hyman excelled not only in athletics but was also a passionate advocate for gender equality in sports. She worked tirelessly to fight for equality in high school and college athletic programs. She also played an important role in the passage of the 1988 Civil Rights Restoration Act. Her tragic death caused a wave of loss and sadness globally in 1986 at the age of 31, which was attributed to the rare condition of Marfan syndrome. Meanwhile, this year’s NGWS has brought a special development for the US women in sports and Hyman would surely have been proud of it.

Women’s Wrestling to join the NCAA championship roster

Amid the celebrations of NGWS, news from the women’s wrestling world is creating a stir. The NCAA Women’s Athletics Committee has made a historic decision recently that coincides with National Girls and Women in Sports Day. It is voting to add a national collegiate championship in women’s wrestling which has been an ask for a long time.

Read More: NCAA News: Women’s Athletics Committee Makes Historic Decision to Celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day

This move, which is likely to be initiated in winter 2026, seeks to propel female wrestlers in collegiate athletics. The plans are to establish a Women’s Wrestling Committee by January 2025. It is indeed a landmark decision to infuse a sense of gender equality, reflecting the cause of Flo Hyman.

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