King Created Path For Athletes Like Patrick (r)

The 35th anniversary of Billie Jean King's historic win over Bobby Riggs is Saturday, and USA TODAY offers a special section on the current status of women in sports. Progress clearly is being made, as the success of female athletes like Danica Patrick and Candace Parker is elevating perceptions of what women are capable of on the playing field. But the movement is not where many forecasted it to be at this point. While more women are starting to become university presidents, only five women are currently ADs of Division I-A schools. Meanwhile, an increasing number of female announcers are appearing on sports broadcasts, but from the sidelines and not the booth. There is hope, though -- females comprise more than 21% of ADs across all NCAA levels, and Lesley Visser says being a play-by-play announcer is something women “should be able to aspire to.”