Allison Stokke
Track and field athlete Allison Stokke is in the rare position of having made a name for herself for reasons not related to her athletic prowess. She was only 17 years old when photos of her on the field at a high school pole vaulting competition went viral on the internet and catapulted her to fame. But she proved to be more than just a one-trick pony and went on to play for the University of California's Golden Bears collegiate track team, as well as compete at the NCAA Division I Championships. Stokke also attempted to qualify for the 2012 Olympics but unfortunately didn’t quite make the cut that year.
That being said, she has carved a successful career for herself in professional vaulting and has gone on to model for sports brands like Nike.
Nastia Liukin
Former artistic gymnast Nastia Liukin became an international star after her impressive performances at the Beijing Summer Olympic Games back in 2008. She's a highly decorated athletes, with five Olympic medals, the 2005 and 2007 World champion title holder, and a four-time all-around U.S. national champion. She also has nine World Championships medals, and seven of those were awarded to her individually. These days, you can find Liukin on NBC Sports where she provides insight and analysis into gymnastics, or as a host for the Nastia Liukin Cup.
Liukin doesn’t just understand her sport well; she lives and breathes it too. She is an impassioned advocate for gymnastics who uses her platform to give other gymnasts the recognition they deserve.
Alica Schmidt
When it comes to German runner Alicia Schmidt, she has proven herself to be a dedicated athlete in recent years. Not only was she part of the team that secured second place at the European Athletics U20 Championships in 2017, but she was also a member of the team that came in third at the 2019 European Athletics U23 Championships. Born in Worms, Germany, this talented sportswoman was slated to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but unfortunately didn’t quite make the cut that year. That said, she has also been scouted for her model-like looks and has experience walking in fashion shows around the world.
She once addressed this on Instagram, writing: “Never would I have imagined walking in a fashion show... All of this still feels unreal and wasn’t really part of my plans. But sometimes you have to take the opportunity.”
Michelle Wie
Professional golfer Michelle Wie exhibited incredible talent from a young age. She was only 20 years old when she went on to qualify for the USGA Amateur Championship, making her the youngest athlete ever to do so. In 2004, she won the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year, and shortly after, she took home the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links. With such undeniable raw talent, it's hardly surprising that she went on to become a professional golfer only five short years later.
Wie's incredible achievements at such a young age not only set new records in women's golf, but also trailblazed a path for future generations to come.
Lindsey Vonn
Former alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn was one of the biggest names in alpine sports for several years. She won four World Cup overall championships for three years in a row between 2008 and 2010, before coming back in 2012 to reclaim the title once more. As the first woman to take home a gold medal for her performance in the downhill event at the Winter Olympics in 2010, she also won World Cup season titles for eight consecutive years between 2008 and 2016, barring 2014.
Aside from her impressive life as a professional athlete, Vonn has also dabbled in modeling over the years, appearing in major publications like Maxim and Sports Illustrated.
Candace Parker
Former pro basketball player Candace Parker is a standout from the Women's National Basketball Association. Thought of by many as one of the best female basketball players in the world, she is the only female recipient to be awarded the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year Award twice. She also has two Olympic gold medals to her name, as well as awards for the WNBA Most Valuable Player, WNBA All-Star Game MVP, and the WNBA Rookie of the Year.
These days, you can find Parker representing Adidas as a president of women's basketball or analyzing and commentating for broadcasters like TNT Sports and CBS Sports.
Gabrielle Reece
Former pro volleyball player Gabrielle Reece was one of the best volleyballers at Florida State University before going on to tour for several years after graduating. Soon after, Reece discovered a passion for golf and even had aspirations of joining the Ladies Professional Golf Association, headquartered in Florida. She didn't make the cut, unfortunately, later admitting that it was too much for her to balance professional sports with the demands of motherhood: '...with young children, I simply didn't have the time for such a demanding game.'
That being said, she’s carved out a successful career as a sports commentator and actress, living between Hawaii and California, where she is part of the infamous 'Malibu Mob' - a group of famous actors and sports personalities who live near one another.
Kim Glass
Indoor volleyball player Kimberly Glass plays as a hitter and stands tall at 189.2 cm. She was instrumental in helping Team USA secure a silver medal during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, her first-ever Olympics appearance. Glass has been a key player for the U.S. national team for over a decade, having played professionally since 2002. Aside from her passion for volleyball, she also considered a modeling career during her college years, even attempting to make it onto America's Next Top Model.
But with exceptional athletic skills like those Glass possesses, it’s no surprise that she chose the path of competitive sports, where she continues to truly excel.
Paige Spiranac
Former professional golfer Paige Spiranac comes from a family of athletes—her father won the 1976 National College Football Championship for the University of Pittsburgh, her mother was a ballerina, and her sister competed for the Stanford University track team. Spiranac was part of the first division of college golf at San Diego State University and the University of Arizona. She won All-Mountain West Conference honors from 2012 to 2014, ending her college golf career by leading the San Diego State Aztecs to their first Mountain West Conference Championship.
Initially, Spiranac wanted to pursue a career as a professional gymnast, but after an unfortunate knee injury, she was forced to give up on those hopes and dreams. Luckily, she discovered golf, and the rest is history.
Mirai Nagasu
Figure skater Mirai Nagasu became an international star when she became the first American woman to land a triple axel in a singles skating event at the 2018 Olympic Games. It was during the Winter Olympics in South Korea, where she also became the third woman in history to perform the impressive move. Eight years earlier, at 16, she represented the U.S. at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and was selected to compete at the World Championships alongside one other figure skater.
In December 2020, Nagasu stated that she was 'most likely done competing,' choosing instead to focus on coaching other figure skaters. She currently resides in Westborough, Massachusetts, with her partner and their young baby.
Alex Morgan
Former pro soccer player Alex Morgan first rose to prominence when she scored a goal in the 123rd minute of the 2012 London Olympics, winning her team the match. Soon after her incredible Olympic performance, she became one of only two female athletes to score 20 goals and provide 20 assists in the same year, earning the title of U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and becoming a finalist for FIFA World Player of the Year. But Morgan also has an active professional life off the soccer field, having written a children's book about soccer players and acted in a fantasy-sports comedy movie.
One of the biggest names in women's soccer, Morgan was named the highest-paid female soccer player in the U.S. by Time magazine in 2015, due in part to her numerous lucrative endorsement deals.
Jennie Finch
Former professional softball player Jennie Finch is best known for leading the U.S. women's softball team to victory at the Olympics and winning gold, as well as her silver medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But she’s had a long career, having played for the Arizona Wildcats softball team over 20 years ago, as well as the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch from 2005 to 2010. Interestingly, Finch was inundated with offers from major publications to model for them during the height of her career, but she refused, explaining that she wished to remain a strong role model for other young women.
Called the most famous softball player in the history of the sport by Time magazine, Finch decided to retire in 2010 in order to spend more time with her family. She continued to work as a commentator, however, for ESPN.
Suni Lee
Artistic gymnast Sunisa Lee has won gold, silver, and bronze medals for her impressive Olympic track record. At only 21 years old, she has already appeared on Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world, been named Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation, and been celebrated as Female Athlete of the Year by Sports Illustrated magazine. As the first Hmong-American person in the world to become an Olympic medal winner, she is celebrated for her representation of Asian American people in professional sports, as well as her specific identity as a person of Hmong descent.
Lee has also been a part of the U.S. women's national gymnastics team and is the 7th most decorated female gymnast in American sporting history.
Olivia Dunne
Olivia Dunne, AKA Livvy, is an artistic gymnast who utilized her social media presence to grow a large fanbase. Having competed as a collegiate gymnast at Louisiana State University and in the NCAA Championships as well as the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, she accrued a large following when she started posting videos on TikTok about her life as an athlete. Today, she has over 10 million followers across her various social media platforms and has successfully capitalized on her newfound popularity through lucrative brand endorsements with companies like Vuori.
According to Dunne in 2023, she's been so successful in earning money from these sponsorship deals that she once earned over $500K for putting out a single sponsored social media post.
Simona Halep
Romanian tennis player Simona Halep is recognized by many as the athlete who managed to defeat Serena Williams during the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. She also achieved another Grand Slam singles title the year prior at the French Open in 2018 and is the first athlete from Romania to take home a Wimbledon singles title, as well as the first female Romanian to rank as number one. In both 2014 and 2015, Halep was awarded the WTA's Most Popular Player of the Year title, followed by the WTA Fan Favorite Singles Player of the Year from 2017 to 2019.
Halep found herself at the center of controversy in 2022, which led to her suspension from the WTA Tour, but she undoubtedly remains one of the most impressive athletes representing Romania today.
Naomi Osaka
Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka has gone from strength to strength in her professional life. As the first Asian tennis player to reach the top ranking in singles, she has won four Grand Slam singles titles: two Australian Opens and two US Opens in recent years. Most notably, Osaka is the first female tennis player to succeed in taking home successive major singles titles since Serena Williams was in her prime. At only 26 years of age, she has already become one of the best-paid athletes through endorsements, raking in the highest annual income ever recorded for a professional sportswoman in 2020.
In 2023, Osaka welcomed her first child, a daughter, into the world but is expected to return to her competitive career after enjoying a short break.
Amanda Beard
Swimmer Amanda Beard (also known as Amanda Brown following her marriage) is one of the most famous names in the world of professional swimming and beyond. She has seven Olympic medals to her name, two of which are gold and four of which are silver. She was also awarded the American Swimmer of the Year Award in 2003 and 2004, and she used to hold the world record in the 200-meter breaststroke. Having competed in the Pan Pacific Championships, Summer Universiade, the Olympics, and the World Championships, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated female athlete. She has also tried her hand at modeling for major publications like the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and FHM.
Aside from her professional life, Beard has taken an active role in campaigning for animal rights and welfare through charities like Defenders of Wildlife and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Margarita Mamun
Former Russian individual rhythmic gymnast Margarita Mamun proved to be an unusually gifted sportswoman when she attended the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in both 2014 and 2015, walking away with silver medals. She also became an all-around silver medalist in gymnastics at the 2015 European Games. Most famously, she holds the current record for the under-20-point judging system with the highest all-around total (77.150 points). During this event, she achieved this score at the 2016 Baku World Cup.
On top of everything, she came away from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the all-around gold before retiring from her competitive career the following year.
Mikaela Shiffrin
World Cup alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin has proven herself to be one of the most incredible athletes in the world. She alone holds the record for the most World Cup wins of any alpine skier in history, across both the men's and women's categories. At just 18 years old, she became the youngest slalom gold medalist in Olympic history, showing the world that she was truly meant for greatness. Considered to be the most successful skier in history, Time magazine unsurprisingly added her to their list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023.
Preferring to keep her private life away from the public eye, Shiffrin did announce that she is currently engaged to another fellow alpine ski racer, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, with whom she has been in a relationship since 2021.
Silje Norendal
Former pro snowboarder Silje Norendal won gold during the 2013 Winter X Games Europe in Tignes, France, as well as the women's slopestyle event at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. It didn't stop there for her, as she went on to excel at the 2014 Winter Olympics that took place in Sochi, Russia, finishing in 11th place, and the following year, winning Aspen's Winter X Games for the second time in her career. She also competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, finishing in fourth place in the Women's Slopestyle finals.
As of 2018, Norendal became engaged to another successful athlete, Norwegian ice hockey defenceman Alexander Bonsaksen, before giving birth to their first child in 2021.
Lolo Jones
Hurdler and bobsledder Lori 'Lolo' Jones is not just an accomplished athlete in her own right, but she has also successfully carved out a career for herself as a television personality. Aside from her highly decorated athletic career, she has appeared on TV shows like Celebrity Big Brother, Dancing with the Stars, and The Challenge, among others. Her biggest achievements include her indoor national titles for the 60-meter hurdles in 2007, 2008, and 2009, as well as the gold medals she won during the 2008 and 2010 World Indoor Championships.
Interestingly, Jones garnered a lot of press attention when she accidentally tripped on the second-to-last hurdle during the 100-meter hurdles at the Beijing Olympics, after she was the favorite to win.
Allyson Felix
Former track and field athlete Allyson Felix was a major competitor in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 400 meters. Between 2003 and 2013, she focused mainly on the 200 meters before turning her attention to the 400 meters for the latter part of her sports career. She has 11 Olympic medals to her name—seven gold medals, three silver medals, and one bronze medal—making her the track and field athlete with the highest number of Olympic medals in history. Felix proved her doubters wrong when she competed in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.
It was the fifth Olympic Games she had participated in, and while many thought that she was too old to compete at 35 years of age, she proved to be one of the most dedicated sportswomen around.
Torah Bright
Aussie professional snowboarder Torah Bright has been trailblazing for female athletes in alpine sports. She became the first athlete in history - regardless of gender - to qualify for the slopestyle, the halfpipe, and the boarder-cross events back in 2014. Unsurprisingly, she has managed to secure lifelong endorsements from snowboarding gear brands like Rhythm Snowsports and Roxy. Bright is widely regarded as the most successful winter Olympian to come out of Australia.
Alongside her gold and silver Olympic medals, she has earned a reputation for inspiring a new generation of snowboarders. Though she retired in 2020, her legacy continues to influence the sport.
Alana Blanchard
Professional surfer Alana Blanchard is best known for surfing competitively as part of the World Surf League's World Tour. She has won several prestigious surfing championships over the years, including the Rip Curl Girls Festival Junior Pro, the Billabong Pro Pre Trials in Hookipa, and the Women's Pipeline Championships. Having been a surfer since the young age of four, she has been encouraged by her father to enter competitions from the age of nine.
Aside from surfing competitively, however, Blanchard has also shown an interest in charity work, having established the Alana Blanchard Foundation to help provide support for female talent in the surfing industry.
Soo Yeon Lee
Former table tennis player Soo Yeon Lee hails from South Korea and started playing the sport at a very young age. By the time she was 12, she had already won the Korean National Junior Championship - a feat she repeated for six consecutive years. She joined the national team after entering university to study sports psychology and physical education, eventually moving to the United States to continue her academic education and compete in more tournaments.
Lee has since hung up her racket (at least professionally) and now spends her time coaching other athletes, modeling, and acting in TV and films.
Brie and Nikki Bella
Identical twin sisters Brie Bella and Nikki Bella, known as "The Bella Twins," are a professional wrestling tag team famous for their time as WWE Divas Champions. Having joined WWE in 2007, they became a hit with audiences, and in 2016, they were given their own reality show. Nikki held the Divas title for over 300 days - the longest reign - and won it twice, while Brie was the first of the twins to claim the title. The twins have since entered the WWE Hall of Fame, with Nikki recognized in 2015 for winning the WWE Slammy Award for Diva of the Year.
Their contract with WWE has expired, and they've happily moved on to other projects, including their podcast, The Nikki & Brie Show, and their YouTube channel, NikkiAndBrie.
Diana Taurasi
People consider pro basketball player Diana Taurasi to be one of the greatest female basketball players to have ever lived, and it's easy to see why. Currently playing for the Women's National Basketball Association's Phoenix Mercury as a shooting guard, she has won five Olympic gold medals over her 20-year-long career and is the WNBA all-time leading scorer, a title she has held since 2017. Having been voted by fans to be one of the top 15 players of all time in WNBA history in 2011 and also the greatest player in the league of all time in 2021, no one's denying the huge impact she's had on the sport.
The late Kobe Bryant is credited as giving Taurasi the nickname "White Mamba" on account of her seeing how composed she was during the most tense minutes on-court.
P. V. Sindhu
Indian professional badminton player Pusarla Venkata Sindhu, more commonly known as P.V. Sindhu, is an Olympic medal-winning athlete who became the second-best badminton player in the world in 2017 according to the Badminton World Federation ranking system. She was only 17 years old when she first entered the top 20 and represented India in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics at the age of 21. Her incredible achievements have made her one of the highest-paid athletes in the world due to endorsement deals, having worked with brands such as Panasonic, JBL, Nokia, and Gatorade, among others.
In 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023, Forbes magazine's list of the Highest-Paid Female Athletes has continued to cite Sindhu as one of the biggest earners in the world.
Sarah Fuller
Former soccer player Sarah Fuller is best known for her time as a goalkeeper for the Minnesota Aurora FC in the USL W League of women's soccer. She was only five years old when she started playing soccer and exhibited a keen interest and talent for the sport. When she joined Vanderbilt's soccer team in 2020, she started out on the bench but shortly after made history by becoming the first woman to play in a Power Five college football game. About the incident, she stated, "I just want to tell all the girls out there that you can do anything you set your mind to. You really can. If you have that mentality all the way through, you can do big things." Incredibly, she kicked an extra point only two weeks later, becoming the first woman to score in a Power Five football game.
Fuller retired in 2023, writing that "After nearly 20 years on the pitch, I have decided to hang up my cleats." Nonetheless, her achievements will be remembered and will continue to inspire female soccer players around the world.
Zehra Güneş
Turkish volleyball player Zehra Güneş plays as a middle blocker for the Vakıfbank Istanbul Sports Club and the Turkey women's national volleyball team. In the 2017–18 season, the Vestel Venus Sultans League awarded her the "Vestel Special Prize," indicating her high-level performance. She has been competing internationally since 2015, and in 2020 was part of the team that represented Turkey at the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Her team went far, finishing fifth, and she has since won gold medals in the 2021 FIVB Club World Championship, the 2021–22 CEV Women's Champions League, the 2023 Nations League, and the 2023 European Championship.
At only 25 years old, she's expected to go from strength to strength professionally in the coming years, and is already believed to have an estimated net worth of $4.5 million.