SportsInHeels

U.S. Soccer Great Mia Hamm espnW’s Top Female Athlete of Past 40 Years

Highly-decorated former U.S. Soccer Women’s National Team star Mia Hamm was voted No. 1 in espnW’s Top 40 Female Athletes of the Past 40 Years, beating out No. 2 Martina Navratilova and No. 3 Jackie Joyner-Kersee. espnW, in conjunction with SportsCenter, over an eight-week timeframe, revealed one athlete per day culminating with Hamm on Friday, June 22. The countdown has been part of ESPN’s companywide multiplatform initiative, The Power of IX, recognizing the 40th anniversary of Title IX, signed June 23, 1972.

Who remembers when Mia made this goal?

Here is the complete list of the Top 40 Female Athletes of Past 40 Years

1. Mia Hamm (soccer)

2. Martina Navratilova (tennis)

3. Jackie Joyner-Kersee (track & field)

4. Annika Sorenstam (golf)

5. Lisa Leslie (basketball)

6. Bonnie Blair (speed skater)

7. Chris Evert (tennis)

8. Nadia Comaneci (gymnastics)

9. Steffi Graf (tennis)

10. Serena Williams (tennis)

11. Billie Jean King (tennis)

12. Florence Griffith-Joyner (track)

13. Cheryl Miller (basketball)

14. Katerina Witt (figure skating)

15. Janet Evans (swimming)

16. Sheryl Swoopes (basketball)

17. Ann Meyers Drysdale (basketball)

18. Lisa Fernandez (softball)

19. Lindsay Vonn (alpine ski racer)

20. Michelle Kwan (figure skating)

21. Venus Williams (tennis)

22. Marta (soccer)

23. Tracy Caulkins (swimming)

24. Nancy Lopez (golf)

25. Dara Torres (swimming)

26. Chamique Holdsclaw (basketball)

27. Michelle Akers (soccer)

28. Grete Waitz (runner)

29. Nancy Lieberman (basketball)

30. Gail Devers (track)

31. Joan Benoit (track)

32. Mary T. Meagher (swimming)

33. Abby Wambach (soccer)

34. Flo Hyman (volleyball)

35. Diana Taurasi (basketball)

36. Kristine Lilly (soccer)

37. Cammi Granato (ice hockey)

38. Mary Lou Retton (gymnastics)

39. Julie Krone (horse racing)

40. Fu Mingxia (diving)