Breaking the Data Gap: How a WNBA Owner is Powering Women’s Sports Science

A new owner of the New York Liberty stepped into her role in 2019 with a clear goal: improve the health and performance of female athletes. She noticed that most scientific research in sports focused on men, leaving women with fewer tools to prevent injury and enhance training. To address this mismatch, she invested in the Human Performance Alliance a few years ago. The alliance is on track to finish its ten‑year plan, and the owner believes the future looks bright. The research community still studies women only about six percent of the time, even though female participation in sports has exploded. High school girls went from 294, 000 athletes in the early 1970s to more than three million today. Women now make up nearly half of Olympic competitors and about forty‑four percent of college athletes, a jump from fifteen percent before Title IX. Yet the science has not kept pace. A major milestone of the alliance is a new research center in Boston called the Women’s Health Sports and Performance Institute. The institute opened its doors in January, bringing together scientists and clinicians who can focus on female physiology. Its leaders say that studying half the population is essential if we want to reduce injuries and improve performance for everyone.

One common injury that affects female athletes is the ACL tear. Researchers in the alliance use video analysis to spot risky movement patterns during running and cutting drills. By looking at how a player’s torso moves, how their limbs line up, and how they absorb force, the team can predict who is most likely to get hurt. They then design personalized training plans to help those athletes avoid injury. Another study tracks how travel and late games influence performance. Early data show that teams traveling eastward struggle more defensively, possibly because it is harder to adjust the body clock. These findings help teams plan better travel schedules and recovery routines. The Liberty’s staff includes an exercise physiologist who serves as the team’s chief innovation officer. He translates research into practice, ensuring that training protocols incorporate the latest evidence on sleep, nutrition, and travel. The owner hopes to bring together academia and professional sports to create a larger impact in the next few years.

Actions