10 Best Female Athletes of All Time

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How Do We Choose the Best Female Athletes?

The wide world of sports is an all inclusive one. Although they may be in a separate league from the men, women’s sports mean just as much to fans. Hoopers who respect the spot up shooting of guys like Klay Thompson also remember Kristi Toliver’s red hot rookie year from behind the arc. Olympic gymnasts learn new techniques from all genders. Abby Wambach can score on any goalkeeper in any league. In summary, sports are sports, and sports are for everyone. We chose the most iconic, influential, talented, and badass women to comprise our list of the 10 best female athletes of all time. Check in with us at Zone Report in the future so you can help us decide who makes the cut for our upcoming lists.

Who are the Best Female Athletes?

The best female athletes all have a few key traits in common. First and foremost they are all winners, consistently competing for championships and gold medals. When they were all in their prime, they were the best at their respective sports and it was inarguable. These women are also often the ones who broke down barriers and opened up more opportunities or introduced sports fans to a new league or sport in general. They also revolutionized the games that they played, displaying skill on a level we have never seen before. These are 10 of the most impressive athletes we have ever seen.

#1 Serena Williams

Serena Williams is often discussed as one of the greatest athletes of all time. Her reign of dominance is one of the longest we have seen in any sport, from being spectacular from such a young age to still being great after most athletes would have been past their prime. Between both singles and doubles play, Serena Williams has the most Grand Slam titles of any female tennis player. When Williams was healthy and able to avoid injury, it seemed like nothing could stop her. On top of all of her playing accolades, her stardom and the attention that she has earned only makes her shine brighter. While sitting at number one in the world, she got better, rising to the occasion and riding high on her confidence.

#2 Mia Hamm

Soccer is the largest sport in the world. It has more fans than any other sport and more leagues than any other sport. Mia Hamm was largely responsible for bringing womens soccer to America in the 1990’s bringing her and the sport to notoriety. She was a talented scorer, retiring with the most international goals scored and still is sitting at third all time. When Hamm was playing, soccer did not have the notoriety it has today, but because of Hamm, every American sports the stars and stripes when the women of the US national team suit up and take the field. She is an underappreciated legend that we chose to highlight for all she has done for soccer.

#3 Simone Biles

As the most decorated gymnast in history, Simone Biles stands head and shoulders above other gymnasts due to her versatility and her ability at a young age. She was winning international championships starting at just 16 years old. Her 2016 Olympic run for the United States is an unreal display of dominance and ability that we may never see again. Biles also has made significant impacts away from gymnastics as well. She is a champion for mental health and social issues. Biles is a young role model for everyone and we are always excited to see what she does next.

#4 Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie was the first true power house player that the WNBA needed. During her 12 year career, Leslie was a 3 time MVP, 8 time All Star, and 2 time champion. Leslie didn’t just bring more gold to Los Angeles, she cemented another LA team as one of the most dominant franchises in basketball history. Aside from what she did for her team, Leslie catapulted the WNBA to notoriety with her play and skill. She elevated the level of competition that the league would see. Players like Candace Parker have cited Leslie as their inspiration, just further confirms the fact that Lisa Leslie will always be a part of basketball history.

#5 Florence Griffith Joyner

This list includes a lot of important and influential, but none of them have broken down barriers quite like Flo-Jo. She was a bold and bright woman who impacted the world with her style. Aside from that, Griffith Joyner was one of the fastest runners of all time. She set world records in the 100m and 200m in the Olympics. She tragically passed away too early, but her legacy will live on and inspire others.

#6 Misty May and Kerri Walsh

A team where it is impossible to mention one without the other. Trying to separate May and Walsh is a near impossible task as they had so much success together and both were integral. Misty May and Kerry Walsh are definitely the greatest beach volleyball duo of all time and arguably the greatest volleyball players ever. They won three straight gold medals in the Olympics (2004, 2008, 2012). They are the only beach volleyball duo in the history of the Olympics to win back to back gold medals, let alone then doing it again for a third time in a row. During their time in the Olympics, they only lost one set. No one defines dominance like May and Walsh.

#7 Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky is the only swimmer to rival Michael Phelps in terms of winning.  She is the most decorated female swimmer in individual events and clearly one of the most talented as she holds the world record in the 800m and 1500m. Outside of the Olympics, Ledecky is the single most decorated swimmer ever. Full stop. No other swimmer has won more on their own regardless of gender. Katie Ledecky is easily the greatest female swimmer of all time, and is now arguably the greatest swimmer of all time.

#8 Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn competed in one of the less watched sports here in America, but she is still an American icon for her Olympic efforts. She was the first American to win gold in alpine skiing and was a major part of the break out in popularity the Winter Olympics had in 2010. During her peak she won consecutive world championships and is one of the greatest skiers we have ever seen.

#9 Ronda Rousey

Despite combat sports being one of the oldest forms of competition, mixed martial arts and particularly the UFC is relatively new. And even then, it took 20 years for them to introduce any form of women’s division. Once we finally were graced with said division it did not take long for the first icon to emerge. Prior to her time in the UFC, Ronda Rousey was the first American woman to earn a medal in judo at the Olympics. She would then go on to be the UFC’s first Bantamweight champion as well as the first woman in the UFC’s hall of fame. All of this doesn’t mention the work she went on to do in sports entertainment and the WWE. Rousey is still one of the most electrifying athletes in the world today.

#10 Danica Patrick

One of the male dominated sports in the world, for no reason, is NASCAR, and to an extent F-1. Although she was not the first woman to drive in NASCAR, Danica Patrick is the most decorated and iconic in the sport. She was able to avoid controversy that other female drivers faced and less scrutiny when getting sponsors which allowed her to compete at the highest level. She secured six top ten finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series and she was the first woman to complete a full NASCAR Cup Series. Danica Patrick left a massive mark on NASCAR that will be felt more and more as the years continue to pass.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Female Athletes

What are the most popular sports for women?

The top five most common sports offered for women are basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross country, and softball in that order.

What is the highest paid women’s sport?

Tennis is by far the highest paid sport for women. Sponsorships are available and plentiful and the prize purses for winning are large.

Who is the best female basketball player of all time?

We chose Lisa Leslie as the greatest WNBA player of all time but there are a lot of other quality candidates. Candace Parker, Sue Bird, and Diana Taurasi are all great players and deserve recognition.

What are the most popular Olympic sports?

Both swimming and gymnastics have been ranked as the best to watch and the most popular. Swimming is the event that usually gets the most views in the United States.