The University of Pennsylvania pointed out the nearest icon of the debate about transgender women’s presence in sports in Lia Thomas — who became the face of the campaign on this issue — for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
The NCAA recently announced its annual awards for Division I women’s athletics. The award is meant to honor the “academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions.” In March, Allyson C. Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title after finishing first in the women’s 500-yard freestyle event and recording the fastest time of the season for any athlete. With that victory, Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win a D-I title in any sport.
American swimmer Thomas, who previously swam for Penn’s men’s team, brought renewed attention to the debate on the legality of women’s participation in sports and the balance between inclusion and fair play at a time of when states are passing laws meant to restrict the rights of transgender people.
After winning three individual titles at the Ivy League championships in February, she set NCAA season-best times in the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle events at the Zippy Invitational in Ohio in December. She won the 100-yard, 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle races at that meet as well. In a May interview with ABC, the swimmer talked about feeling depressed early in college, before her transition. She began hormone replacement therapy in 2019 and, following NCAA protocols, took a year off swimming before joining the UPenn women’s team in 2020.
Thomas said that there are a lot of factors that go into a race, but the biggest difference now is that she is happy. She added that trans women are not a threat to women’s sports and they should be welcomed. The Woman of the Year selection committee will pick 30 honorees, from which they will then announce nine finalists–three from each NCAA division. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will then review those finalists before deciding on a 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year, who will be named at the NCAA Convention.