Some of the sports industry’s most powerful and influential women gathered in Tampa last week for the Women in Sports Leadership VIP Summit. The event was hosted by NCAA Women’s Basketball and Women Leaders in Sports to discuss the momentum of women’s sports, identify future growth strategies and create community across all sports.
According to the NCAA, the event was scheduled in conjunction with the Women’s Final Four to include several receptions related to the tournament.
The NCAA’s vice president for women’s basketball, Lynn Holzman, said, “Last year's NCAA Women's Final Four Sports Leadership VIP Summit in Cleveland was a tremendous success, and we're thrilled to expand on that momentum this year in Tampa Bay. We have an outstanding lineup of sports industry leaders who will continue to empower women and inspire future generations of leaders."
Some of these leaders included Stacey Allaster, US Open’s chief executive of professional tennis, Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner, Christina Unkel, Tama Bay Sun FC president and general manager and Mollie Marcoux Samaan, former LPGA commissioner.
The women in attendance discussed issues at all levels of sport including amateur, collegiate and professional.
Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sport, hosted a leadership discussion, followed by a panel session “Beyond the Baseline: Inside Tourney Town” that was open to the public.
“Women Leaders is honored to join the NCAA in co-hosting the 2025 NCAA Women's Final Four Women in Sports Leadership VIP Summit in Tampa Bay," Phillips said. "This summit serves as a critical platform to accelerate the advancement of women into leadership roles across all sports sectors. I'm excited for another year of transformative discussions that will drive real change and continue to push boundaries for women in sports."
Women Leaders in Sports is a professional membership organization that champions women in sport. It has more than 6,000 members nationwide and plans to continue the Women in Sports Leadership VIP Summit at next year’s Women’s Final Four in Phoenix.
