Years before women’s sports were trendy, Indiana was producing pioneering female athletes.
Cheryl Treworgy set a marathon world record. Cynthia Potter became America’s most decorated diver. Maicel Malone was sprinting to glory on statewide telecasts of the state track and field meet.
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Then in 1972 came Title IX, the legislation banning gender discrimination in schools. Champion of that groundbreaking bill? Birch Bayh, an Indiana senator.
Then in 2024 came Caitlin Clark, who changed the Indiana Fever, the WNBA and the sport of women’s basketball.
It is all covered in a new IndyStar book: “Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports: They Changed the Games We Love.” This hardcover collector’s book features more than 30 athletes in basketball, track and field, swimming and diving, gymnastics and beyond.
Exclusive book: Indiana’s inspiring female athletes
The IndyStar has crafted a new book that celebrates the inspirational backstories from Indiana’s female athletes, some household names, some local legends, some practically unknown. The hardcover, coffee-table book is titled “Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports.”
Besides the stories you would expect — those of Olympic gold medalists such as basketball player Tamika Catchings, swimmers Lilly King and Alex Shackell, soccer player Lauren (Cheney) Holiday, cyclist Chloe Dygert, gymnast Jaycie Phelps and fencer Lee Kiefer — there are two dozen other inspirational accounts.
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Missy Schwen Ryan, a rower from Bloomington, is the only organ donor on record to have won an Olympic medal. Kristen Spolyar, a former Butler University player from Lebanon, helped her teammates win a basketball club championship in Ukraine before Russia waged war there. Lauren Bailey, from Westfield, was run over by a car and weeks later became an All-America distance runner for the University of Indianapolis. Notre Dame’s Jadin O’Brien overcame a mysterious childhood condition to win three NCAA titles in track and field.
The 144-page coffee-table book includes exquisite photographs from the IndyStar and exclusive stories by David Woods, a former longtime, award-winning sportswriter for the news organization.
The book retails at $39.95, but order now to receive a 20% discount. That cuts the price to $31.95 (plus tax and shipping). The book will ship by Nov. 14, in plenty of time for the holiday season.
Order now at WomenIN.PictorialBook.com.
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Own the stories that every sports fan should celebrate. “Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports” also will be the perfect gift for the budding athletes and weekend warriors in your life because its inspirational stories showcase the power of determination across all sports.
Exclusive book: Indiana’s inspiring female athletes
Check out more books and page prints from the USA TODAY Network — including books on Caitlin Clark’s rookie season, the Pacers’ Eastern Conference title, the Hoosiers’ breakout 2024 football season, an Indianapolis 500 history and a kid’s guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Celebrate ‘Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports’ in a new IndyStar book