Without the women on this list, the sports world would be considerably different. These athletes have accomplished so much, it is hard to ignore it, but many of them are more than just names on scoreboards, medals, and trophies.

Long-standing customs were upended by these boundary-pushing women, especially during a period when women’s acceptance in the traditionally male-dominated world of sports was lacking.

Throughout their lives, these women have overcome obstacles and bravely taken chances that others would have avoided, whether it be in tennis, horse racing, Little League Baseball, or any other sport.

With their bravery, energy, and determination, these women not only achieved success in their sport but also established charitable foundations, mentored young people, and supported and still fund charitable and athletic endeavors.

Stacker created a list of 15 prominent American women athletes and arranged them according to the year that each athlete achieved a noteworthy barrier-breaking achievement. She did this by gathering information from news articles, sports websites, and the individuals’ personal websites.

Although the definition of “barrier-breaking” can vary, the events in this list are those that symbolize a woman’s first success, whether through personal achievement, activism for a cause, or a momentous occasion of female representation.

Mildred ‘Babe’ Didrikson Zaharias, Track and Field: 1932

An Olympic gold medalist who shattered world records in various sports and later established the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias was an incredibly versatile athlete who excelled in numerous sports throughout her lifetime. During the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, she achieved an impressive feat by securing two gold medals and a silver medal in track and field. Notably, she set a record in the 80-meter hurdle run, earning her one of the medals.

During that period, women had limited opportunities to participate in just three events at the Olympics. Zaharias made the most of her opportunity by winning the gold in the javelin throw, achieving a remarkable new world record throw of 43.69 meters. Additionally, she earned the silver medal in the high jump.

In the 1940s, Zaharias made a name for herself as a professional golfer, defying expectations in a sport that was predominantly male. She achieved remarkable success, winning an impressive 82 tournaments over the course of her career.

Maria Tallchief, Ballet: 1944

I am the first Native American woman from the Osage Tribe to make a breakthrough in the world of ballet.

Maria Tallchief achieved the remarkable distinction of being the first American dancer to hold the prestigious title of prima ballerina. Life wasn’t always filled with tutus and extravagant costumes for this dancer who pushed boundaries.

Tallchief took great pride in her Native American heritage and was a strong advocate against social injustices and discrimination. She faced frequent rejection and tirelessly pursued opportunities at different dance companies until she finally achieved her breakthrough.

In the summer of 1944, Tallchief’s life took a significant turn when she crossed paths with choreographer George Balanchine. They eventually got married, and when Balanchine established the New York City Ballet in 1948, he appointed Tallchief as the troupe’s leading ballerina.

He gained recognition for his performances in a diverse range of ballets, including “The Nutcracker.” He is particularly remembered as America’s first Native American prima ballerina.

Victoria Manalo Draves, Swimming: 1948

The individual in question achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first Asian American to secure an Olympic gold medal.

In 1948, Victoria Manalo Draves achieved a remarkable feat by winning gold in both springboard and platform diving at the London Summer Olympics. Her victory marked a significant milestone for Asian Americans in the world of sports.

Draves encountered prejudice due to her Asian background, as her father was Filipino and her mother was British. Interestingly, one of her early coaches strongly recommended that she adopt her mother’s maiden name and compete as “Vicky Taylor.”

In the mid-1950s, Draves pursued her love for aquatics and embarked on a swimming and diving training program alongside her husband.

In 1969, she was honored with induction into the prestigious International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum.

Althea Gibson, Tennis: 1950

-The first Black athlete to be invited to the U.S. Open

The first African American woman to compete in the U.S. National Championships was tennis legend Althea Gibson in 1950. Even for men, Black involvement in professional sports was still relatively new at this time. Three years prior, Jackie Robinson had only just broken through the color barrier in baseball.

In light of the distinctly patriarchal nature of the society at the time, Gibson’s accomplishment stands out among other notable developments for Black athletes.

Over her career, Gibson—who was reared in Harlem, New York—won numerous tennis championships.

She won a Grand Slam title at the French Open in 1956, making history as the first Black athlete to do so. Gibson would go on to win 16 titles in the eighteen events she entered, including the 1957 and 1958 U.S. Nationals and Wimbledon.

If all of this wasn’t enough, she also made history in 1960 by being the first Black woman to play on the women’s professional golf circuit.

Toni Stone, Baseball: 1953

-The first female player in a major men’s league to play professional baseball

Though she may not be well-known, Toni Stone was a major contributor to the dismantling of gender stereotypes in the 1950s.

When she joined the baseball league, Marcenia Lyle Stone, her birth name, was changed. In a men’s baseball league, Stone was the first female professional baseball player.

Stone became the first woman to play in a men’s league when she signed with the Indianapolis Clowns in the Negro American League in 1953 after playing for the New Orleans Creoles in a semi-pro league in 1949.

Stone faced discrimination not only because of her gender but also because of her race. Although her popularity among baseball fans was viewed as advantageous for her and the sport, she also had to contend with a disinformation campaign about her age and educational background launched by the team she played for.

But as soon as she stepped onto the field, her example began to have an impact.

She joined the squad in 1954, and the Clowns recruited two additional female players to their roster in only one season.

Wilma Rudolph, Track and Field: 1960

-First female American to win three gold medals at an Olympics in one year

Wilma Rudolph started off with a number of disadvantages. Because she was underweight at birth—less than five pounds—she was more likely to get sick throughout her life.

At four years old, Rudolph was suffering with scarlet fever, pneumonia, and polio—the last of which was unvaccinated at the time. Rudolph had to wear metal leg braces for a while after losing the use of her left leg. At the age of six, her doctor even informed her that she would never be able to walk again.

Slash cut to the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, where Rudolph made Olympic history as the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field.

She earned the moniker “the fastest woman in the world” for her extraordinary achievement.

Kathrine Switzer, Marathon: 1967

-The first female official entrant to finish the Boston Marathon

Though it may sound unbelievable, women were still prohibited from competing in the Boston Marathon in 1967. That was not going to deter Kathrine Switzer, who entered as “K.V. Switzer,” deceptively changing her name to hide her gender.

A historic occurrence that was documented in multiple images occurred during the marathon when Switzer was physically attacked by the race director who attempted to remove her from the course.

Even so, Switzer managed to finish the race, making history as the first female official entrant to finish the marathon.

Her encounter strengthened her conviction that it was long overdue for women to officially race alongside males.

She was a pioneer of the first women’s road event and spearheaded the push for women to be allowed to run in the Boston Marathon in 1972.

After more than 40 years as a marathon runner and activist, Switzer went on to win the New York City Marathon in 1974. In 2011, she was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame for “creating positive global social change.”

Diane Crump, Horse Racing: 1970

-The inaugural female rider in the Kentucky Derby

Few people can honestly claim to be self-taught equestrians, but pioneer of horse racing Diane Crump achieved this feat by training herself to ride without the need for official instruction.

Growing up, Crump had a deep affection for horses and even worked on a horse farm close to her home in Oldsmar, a suburb of Tampa, Florida.

Crump made history in 1970 when she rode in the Kentucky Derby for the first time, with her horse, Fathom. Despite finishing 15th out of 17th, her historic achievement was confirmed.

Crump won 228 races as a horse racing participant.

She started and is still running her own equestrian sales company in Virginia after retiring from competitive racing.

Billie Jean King, Tennis: 1973

-Victory in the Battle of the Sexes over Bobby Riggs

Despite having a background in baseball, Billie Jean King only switched to tennis at the age of eleven after her parents advised her to play a more “ladylike” sport. Throughout her career, King won 39 Grand Slam titles.

King’s first major victory came in 1966 when she won the Wimbledon women’s singles tournament, a title she retained for the next two years.

In what became known as the Battle of the Sexes in 1973, Bobby Riggs—a self-declared “hustler and male chauvinist”—lost to King, which was seen by over 90 million people globally.

In addition to being a landmark achievement for female athletes, Riggs’ claim that women’s tennis was inferior to men’s was refuted by her victory.

King advocated for equal prize money for men and women at the U.S. Open throughout her career, and as a result of her efforts, the U.S. Open became the first significant competition to provide equal financial incentives to players of both genders.

She was demonized in 1981 after coming out as a lesbian, losing all of her sports sponsorships, even though she was the founder of the Women’s Tennis Association and regarded as one of the greatest players in history.

But King persisted in her support of women and the LGBTQ+ community; as a result of her life’s work, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 and established the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative in 2014.

Janet Guthrie, NASCAR: 1976

-The first female driver in the Winston Cup Series of NASCAR

Janet Guthrie, a former aerospace engineer, was driven to follow her dream of driving a race vehicle in the 1970s.

Guthrie made history in sportscar racing at the 1976 World 600, when she became the first female competitor in a NASCAR Winston Cup series superspeedway event.

Guthrie made history in 1977 by being the first female starter in the Daytona 500. She became the first woman to race in the Indianapolis 500 in 1977 after qualifying for speed trials, but technical issues made her debut a disaster.

Unfazed, the trailblazing Guthrie entered the race again in 1978 and placed ninth.

Guthrie raised the flag for her generation and the generations that followed in encouraging women to enter the world of speed racing, even though she never placed higher than sixth in any race.

Lusia Harris, Basketball: 1977

-The first and only female NBA draft pick ever

Lusia Harris of Delta State University, her alma mater, won three national collegiate women’s titles in a row during the 1970s.

“Lucy” made Olympic women’s basketball history in 1976 by becoming the first female player to score points that were officially recorded. She also became the first and only woman to ever be drafted by an NBA franchise, the New Orleans Jazz, in 1977.

Harris, who had wed her high school love, decided not to try out because she was pregnant at the time.

Harris still holds Delta State records with 2,891 points, 1,662 rebounds, and an average of 25.9 points per game. She was the first female collegiate basketball player to be inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

Mia Hamm, Soccer: 1991

-Won gold medals at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics, as well as the Women’s World Cup in 1991 and 1999.

Many people consider Mia Hamm to be the greatest female soccer player of all time.

In 1987, at the age of 15, Hamm started playing soccer professionally. She was the youngest athlete in history to be selected for the U.S. women’s national soccer team. In addition to two FIFA Women’s World Cup titles, Hamm has two gold medals from the Olympics.

The first women’s professional soccer league was established in 2000 with Hamm’s co-founding of the Women’s United Soccer Association. Women’s soccer gained popularity in the US thanks in part to the noteworthy achievements of Hamm.

Following her retirement, Hamm has dedicated her time to charitable endeavors via the nonprofit Mia Hamm Foundation, which she founded in 1999.

Venus and Serena Williams, Tennis: 2007

-After Althea Gibson’s historic wins in 1957–1958, Venus became the first African American woman to win Wimbledon in 2000, and Serena became the first to win the U.S. Open in 1999.

As teenagers, Venus and Serena Williams, two of the most well-known athletes in tennis history, started out as disadvantaged junior tennis players.

When the Williams sisters emerged in the late 1990s, the traditionally white and affluent sport had been rocked to its core.

With their audacious self-assurance, formidable style of play, and vociferous advocacy for equality, the sisters have collectively revolutionized the game of tennis for women.

Wimbledon, the oldest Grand Slam competition in tennis history, declared in 2007 that female competitors will share the same prize money as their male counterparts. Serena and Venus, two of the biggest tennis players, as well as other WTA members, put a lot of social pressure on her to make this decision.

The Williams sisters are still leaving their personal and professional imprint on the game.

Venus has won the Grand Slam seven times, and Serena Williams has won the tournament twenty-three times as of 2021.

Simone Biles, Gymnastics: 2013

-The most decorated gymnast in global competition history and the first African American to win the world championship in the all-around division

Beyond just setting records, Simone Biles has had a profound effect on the gymnastics community. The discipline and art of the sport itself bear her name.

Four gymnastic skills bear her name, leaving a lasting legacy that will influence current and upcoming generations as well as the sport’s history.

With 32 Olympic and World Championship medals as of 2022, Biles has dominated the gymnastics world for years. Her name has become so synonymous with the sport that many were taken aback when she announced she would not be competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in order to focus on her mental health.

This action carried on the conversation about mental health and athletes in the sports world, and it might have served as motivation for another well-known athlete, tennis player Naomi Osaka, who withdrew from the French Open and Wimbledon for comparable reasons.

Furthermore, by being transparent about her battles with attention deficit disorder, Biles has encouraged a generation of young women and girls who suffer from the same condition to get help.

Mo’ne Davis, baseball: 2014

-The first-ever female African American player in the Little League World Series

At thirteen years old, Mo’ne Davis created history in 2014 when she became the first female pitcher to win a Little League World Series and pitch a shutout.

She was also the first Little Leaguer to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the first African American female to compete in the renowned child sports competition.

Pitching for the Philadelphia Taney Dragons, who defeated their South Nashville opponents 4-0, Davis was seen reaching 70 mph with his fastballs. In 2022, Davis plays softball at Hampton University, where she studies communications, as opposed to baseball.

The Little League has seen significant changes during the 1950s and 1960s, when girls were not allowed to play.

When the National Organization for Women sued the Little League in 1974 on behalf of a 12-year-old girl who had been discriminated against on the basis of gender, the regulation was reversed.