Women in Sports Are Changing the Game. We Aim to Even the Playing Field for Them.

The Michigan Center for Innovation in Women's Sports advances the health, performance, and well-being of athletes across all ages, abilities, and levels of competition. Through groundbreaking research, evidence-based practice, and collaboration, we aim to set a new global standard for equity and excellence in sports.

This initiative is supported by the U-M Strategic Initiative Fund through the Look to Michigan campaign.

Why Now? Why Women's Sports and Female Athlete Health?

Female athletes face unique challenges that are not fully understood, addressed, or prioritized in research and practice. Despite growing participation, visibility, and financial investments, the infrastructure supporting women's health, performance, and sociocultural wellbeing in sport is decades behind.

Some of these challenges include:

• Physiologic: Female athletes face distinct health and performance challenges – including iron deficiency, menstrual irregularities, breast biomechanics, ACL injuries, and pregnancy and postpartum recovery – all of which require more focused research and support.
• Sociocultural: Gender norms, limited representation, and intersection inequities can restrict female athletes' opportunities, sense of belonging, and ability to thrive.
• Mental Health: Female athletes face elevated risks of anxiety, depression, burnout, disordered eating, and body-image concerns – often intensified by unequal resources and pressure to prove themselves.
• Media Representation: Despite record-breaking growth in audiences and revenue, women's sports continue to receive disproportionately limited media coverage, promotion, and investment.
• Financial: Female athletes remain underpaid and undervalued compared with their male peers, both in total compensation and in the share of revenue they help generate.
• Multifaceted Challenges: Inadequate compensation can push female athletes to compete year-round, limiting recovery time and potentially affecting their long-term health, performance, and career longevity.