Occasional snow showers. Very cold. High 32F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..
Flurries or snow showers possible early. Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 18F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: January 21, 2025 @ 10:08 am
Georgia junior Dasha Vidmanova prepares to return a ball during a women’s NCAA tennis match between Ole Miss and Georgia at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Georgia, on Sunday, April 7, 2024. The University of Georgia women’s tennis team defeated the University of Mississippi 4-0. (Photo/Forest X. Dynes)
Georgia defender Kiera Staude (11) looks up the field during a match against Vanderbilt University at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, Georgia on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. (Photo/ Laney Martin; @LaneyMartinPhotography)
Georgia freshman Kaila Jackson competes. The University of Georgia track and field teams compete in the Georgia Tech Invitational at George C. Griffin Track & Field Facility in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Photo/Mady Mertens; @MadyMertensPhotography)
Georgia junior Dasha Vidmanova prepares to return a ball during a women’s NCAA tennis match between Ole Miss and Georgia at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Georgia, on Sunday, April 7, 2024. The University of Georgia women’s tennis team defeated the University of Mississippi 4-0. (Photo/Forest X. Dynes)
Picture this: a packed stadium, fans on their feet, tickets selling out in minutes and every play sparking excitement. For some athletes, this is the reality. But for women in sports, it’s often a distant dream. Despite their talent and growing popularity, only 3% of U.S. sports fans prefer watching women’s sports, while 66% are more drawn to men’s events, according to Play Today.
National figures like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are sparking a new wave of excitement around women’s sports, drawing in more fans and viewers than ever before. The momentum women’s sports has is undeniable, and there are several athletes at the University of Georgia helping lead the charge as well.
Senior tennis player Dasha Vidmanova was a 2024 Honda Sport Award finalist and 2024 NCAA won the Doubles National Championship, alongside Aysegul Mert. Junior sprinter Kaila Jackson ran the fastest time of the first round in the 200m at the NCAA East Prelims with a 22.28. Junior soccer defender Kiera Staude earned a spot on Top Drawer Soccer’s Freshman Best XI and landed on their Postseason Top 100 Freshmen list.
From the moment they picked up a racket, laced up their spikes or kicked a soccer ball, these women were about their business. Vidmanova’s tennis journey began in her home country of Czech Republic, as her parents and older brother played.
“When I was younger, I was traveling with [my brother] and my parents to his tournaments, and at some point, I picked up a racket and started playing. It naturally happened because it was in the family,” Vidmanova said.
Jackson’s path to track and field was also shaped by family, who “saw the potential.” With Staude, soccer was something that came into her life early on because of her older sister who played. According to her, her parents threw her into it, and she was good at it before eventually realizing how much she loved it.
But, just like with anything else, all three athletes ran into bumps in the road and were forced to learn some tough lessons.
Georgia defender Kiera Staude (11) looks up the field during a match against Vanderbilt University at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, Georgia on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. (Photo/ Laney Martin; @LaneyMartinPhotography)
“You can’t win every match,” Vidmanova said. “Sometimes there’s a lot you can’t control. Sometimes the opponent is better, so you need to take some time after you lose. Look back and learn from it.”
But, she doesn’t let setbacks keep her down. Instead, she said she goes to practice and focuses on the things she can control. When asked about the income disparity between male and female athletes, Vidmanova said “working towards equal prize money would be fair,” and that she hopes for more balanced compensation for women in the future.
Jackson’s journey in track and field goes beyond personal success — it’s about creating more opportunities for women to be seen and respected. For the next generation, she wants visibility and representation to increase.
Georgia freshman Kaila Jackson competes. The University of Georgia track and field teams compete in the Georgia Tech Invitational at George C. Griffin Track & Field Facility in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Photo/Mady Mertens; @MadyMertensPhotography)
“Currently, I have a female Black coach,” Jackson said. “I want them to get more respect and see more of them.”
Staude has faced her own set of challenges as a female athlete in soccer, particularly when it comes to the differences in what men’s and women’s sports receive. She recalls differences in the resources that women’s athletes were given in high school sports. For example, she said the women’s basketball team didn’t have their own locker room for half of the season. While Staude acknowledges there has been progress, she said there’s still room for more. She also wants the marketing around women’s sports to grow.
Vidmanova’s advice to young girls is to play as many matches and tournaments as possible, on both a national and international level. Jackson emphasized the importance of patience, as she was not highly recruited early on and had to stick it out in order to get noticed. Staude preached the importance of balance.
“Consistency is key, but you also don’t want to burn yourself out. Train as hard as you can, but not to the point where you’re going to burn out,” Staude said. “Some of my best friends are from my former club team, and you’ve got to enjoy it — have fun!”
Vidmanova is already preparing for the professional tennis circuit. After graduation in May 2025, her plan is simple: find a base and play tournaments. It’s a big leap, but she thinks she is ready to take the next step and start playing at the highest level.
Jackson has her sights set on the track — both professionally and in the media world, as she’s exploring sports broadcasting. Staude is keeping her options open. While staying prepared for the possibility to play after college, she’s also trying to be prepared academically.
These athletes aren’t just waiting for their futures — they’re out there making it happen. Whether it’s competing at the highest level or stepping into new careers, they’re on the rise, and paving the way for the next generation of female athletes.
The Georgia women’s basketball team fought hard but fell short against Kentucky in a tough SEC showdown on Sunday.
In an attempt to win a second consecutive Savannah Hockey Classic title, the Georgia Ice Dawgs fell to the Tennessee Ice Vols 8-4 at Enmarket Arena Sunday.
Fans packed the stands in the Lindsay Hopkins Indoor Tennis Facility to watch the Bulldogs at home for the first time since the ITA Sectionals tournament last November. No. 1 ranked Georgia women’s tennis dominated Georgia Tech 4-0 in its first match of the spring season, marking the Bulldogs’ 15th win against the Yellow Jackets since 2002.
The Red & Black is a nonprofit, independent news organization that serves the Athens and University of Georgia communities as well as trains college students for careers in the news business.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
