WNBA player Sophie Cunningham is drawing praise from high school athletes who say her outspoken stance on women's sports has emboldened them to advocate for fairness and safety in girls' athletics.
Briley Lechner, a high school volleyball player from Michigan, and Ella Frei, a high school athlete from Wisconsin, appeared on Fox News to discuss how Cunningham's willingness to speak out has resonated with them. Cunningham, a guard for the Indiana Fever, recently stated her belief in protecting women's sports, emphasizing the importance of Title IX and the historical significance of women in sports.
"I want to say a huge thank you to Sophie because it's really brave for her to stand up for young girls like Riley and I," Frei said. "It is making it 10 times more inspiring, and it's encouraging me and a lot of other female athletes to speak out."
Cunningham reiterated her position, telling ESPN, "I said what I said. I think it's kind of common sense."
She added, "I think I'll always believe in that. I think it's really important to protect children, and that's little girls who are also involved in that category... That's why you have Title IX. That's why you have some of the greats in women's sports. If Title IX and women's sports weren't protected, then you wouldn't hear about any type of women in sports..."
Lechner described experiencing unfair competition, stating she unknowingly competed against a biological male during her recent volleyball season and shared locker room facilities. Frei is currently involved in a lawsuit against her school district concerning its locker room policies.
"I just hope, and I pray that more and more people contribute and continue to speak up," Lechner said.