On Saturday, February 1, The Stevens Department of Athletics celebrated the 39th Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) when the women’s and men’s basketball teams hosted Lebanon Valley College.
NGWSD was started in 1987 as a way to recognize women’s sports and served more as a remembrance of Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. Hyman was dedicated to fighting for equality in women’s sports, and she had many notable athletic accomplishments.
Now in 2025 and marking its 39th anniversary, NGWSD has grown to be a day that commemorates the numerous ways that sports encourage girls and women to excel and discover their potential. Sponsored by the Women’s Sports Foundation, the day celebrates the contributions of individuals and organizations that advocate for and support women and girls in sports. This includes those fighting to preserve Title IX and promote gender equality, athletes who use their influential platforms to foster excellence, and coaches dedicated to nurturing girls’ and women’s abilities. The confidence, strength, and character developed through sports equip girls and women with essential skills to emerge as formidable leaders in sports and beyond. Each year, over 300 events are hosted by schools and community-serving organizations across all 50 states, reaching an estimated 200,000 girls and women.
Before the men’s basketball game at 1 p.m., Stevens Athletics hosted a pregame clinic that started at 11 a.m., offering instruction in various sports for girls and boys ages eight and up. This free event, open to the public, was the ninth of its kind at Stevens. Participants engaged in fun sports clinics alongside Stevens student-athletes and coaches and were encouraged to support the Ducks at the games that followed.
Both basketball teams delivered outstanding performances that day. The men’s game at 1 p.m. ended with a final score of 71-62 over the Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen, with the Ducks coming back from a 14-point deficit in the first half. Graduate student Mike Goodall and sophomore Tommy Scholl lead the team with 17 points each. Senior Jack Spellman contributed to the team’s win with a double-double consisting of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The women’s game at 3 p.m. ended with another win for the Ducks, totaling a final score of 50-47. Junior Leyla Castro led the women’s team with 16 points, 14 of which she scored in the second half, with 10 of those being in the fourth quarter. Senior Lucy Alberici also scored 16 points, with other game leaders being junior Olivia Schubiger with eight points and first-year Fiona O’Boyle with six.
