Babcock McGraw: A look back at the top women's stories of 2017
Happy New Year, Women's Watch readers! I want to thank you for all of your thoughtful responses last month regarding my column on Lindsey Vonn and politics in sports. I got dozens and dozens of emails, as well as a plethora of feedback on social media. Your passion is very much admired and appreciated.
Before we get too far into 2018, I'd like to hit rewind on 2017 and remind you of some of the biggest women's sports stories of the year.
10. So long, DP
Female auto racing icon Danica Patrick announced in November that her days in the sport are limited.
Patrick, the most successful female NASCAR driver in history, will be retiring after the Indianapolis 500 in May.
The 35-year-old Patrick spent five seasons in NASCAR's top circuit.
She has seven Top-10 finishes in the Cup Series, the most by a woman. In 2005, she was named the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and she was the Indy circuit's most popular driver from 2005 to 2010.
9. Sky shifts gears
For the Chicago Sky, there were plenty of new faces in 2017, including that of new head coach Amber Stocks.
That meant that the Sky parted ways with longtime coach Pokey Chatman, a move that many loyal supporters weren't initially fond of and didn't exactly see coming.
On top of that, the Sky also said goodbye to yet another franchise player, superstar forward Elena Delle Donne, who is now with the Washington Mystics. Delle Donne essentially forced the Sky's hand, but it is nonetheless a tough situation for a franchise that just a year before lost the services of star center Sylvia Fowles. Fowles, like Delle Donne, was a franchise player for the Sky, and demanded to be traded.
8. Super Syl
Speaking of Sylvia Fowles, 2017 was a big year for her. The 10-year veteran and former Sky centerpiece had a monster summer and was named the most valuable player of the WNBA, her first such honor. Fowles ranked fifth in the WNBA in scoring (18.9 ppg), second in rebounding (10.4 rpg) and tied for second in blocked shots (1.97 bpg) while driving the Minnesota Lynx to a 27-7 record and the No. 1 seed in the WNBA playoffs. Fowles, a four-time WNBA all-star and three-time league defensive player of the year, then led Minnesota to the WNBA championship.
7. Estrogen in the NBA
Becky Hammon continues to gain respect in the NBA. In 2014, Hammon, the former WNBA all-star, was named a paid assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, the first female to hold such a position in league history. In October, she made history again when she was made the head coach for the Spurs in a preseason game. Head coach Greg Popovich routinely lets assistants coach preseason games while he watches from the stands. Hammon coached the first half of the game and another assistant coached the second. Some NBA insiders believe that Popovich is grooming Hammon to be the Spurs' next head coach.
6. You go (and talk) girl
It was a big year for female broadcasters.
This fall, Beth Mowins became the first woman to be given multiple assignments as a play-by-play announcer for NFL games on national telecasts. Her first game happened to be a Monday Night Football game.
Meanwhile, Doris Burke, an NBA sideline reporter, became the first woman to be elevated to a full-time NBA game analyst with a full slate of games.
And former Northwestern basketball player Lisa Byington, who lives in Chicago, became the first female on the Big Ten Network to be a play-by-play announcer for Big Ten football games. She got multiple assignments last fall in that role.
5. U-Can't?
Yes, you are remembering this correctly. Connecticut did NOT win the NCAA women's basketball national championship.
Enough said.
By the way, South Carolina did win it.
4. Streak stopped
Speaking of the Connecticut women, before they were dealt a stunning loss in April's national semifinal by Mississippi State, they apparently could not lose.
The Huskies had been riding a gaudy 111-game winning streak heading into that game, a national record.
It wasn't easy for Mississippi State to stop the streak, or the Huskies. Mississippi State took down Connecticut in that national semifinal with a buzzer-beater in overtime.
Not only was Connecticut trying to keep its record streak going, it was vying for its fifth straight NCAA national championship. The Huskies were the four-time defending champions.
Of course, Connecticut's dose of reality was short-lived. The Huskies are back atop the national polls and are currently 11-0 on the season.
3. American glory
It was 40 years on the nose that an American woman last won the New York City Marathon.
In November, American Shalane Flanagan ended that long drought by winning the marathon with a time of 2:26.53. She took down three-time defending champion Mary Keitany of Kenya.
The last American woman to win the NYC Marathon was Miki Gorman in 1977.
2. Gymnastics mess
USA Gymnastics had a rough year. And the problems still aren't over.
Multiple female gymnasts, led by McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman, have accused USA Gymnastics and some of its doctors, coaches and trainers, of sexual abuse, harassment and misconduct.
In December, Maroney announced that she is suing the U.S. Olympic Committee, among others.
1. Is American tennis back?
The days of the United States dominating women's tennis with enviable depth had been over for quite some time.
The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, had been the only American female headliners in professional tennis for essentially the last decade.
But this summer, American tennis fans were treated to an all-USA Final Four at the U.S. Open.
American Sloane Stephens won her first major by taking down fellow American Madison Keys in the final. Stephens had defeated Venus Williams in the semifinals while Keys got past CoCo Vandeweghe, also an American, in her semifinal.
pbabcock@dailyherald.com
Follow Patricia on Twitter: @babcockmcgraw