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The Aces and Raiders joined forces in June of 2022 for the The IX Awards to lives represent the spirit of Title IX.
This inaugural event on the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, educated, raised awareness, and revenue to support women in sports.
The 2026 Title IX Awards will be held on July 13th.
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Five-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin is one of the most celebrated swimmers of her generation. At just 17 years old, Franklin captivated the world at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, winning four gold medals and one bronze. A year later, she made history by becoming the first woman to win six gold medals at a single World Championships, ultimately earning 11 World Championship titles during her extraordinary career.
Beyond the medals, Franklin has distinguished herself through her authenticity, resilience, and commitment to using sport as a force for good.
After retiring from competitive swimming at age 23, she became the youngest-ever member of the Laureus World Sports Academy and has continued to inspire young people through her advocacy, philanthropy, and work promoting the transformative power of sport.
Franklin’s journey is a powerful reminder that greatness is measured not only by what we accomplish, but by how we use our experiences to lift others.
Brandi Chastain is one of the most recognizable and influential figures in the history of women’s soccer. A two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and three-time Olympic medalist, including two Olympic gold medals, Chastain helped lead the U.S. Women’s National Team through one of the most transformative periods in women’s sports. Her game-winning penalty kick in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl—and the unforgettable celebration that followed—became one of the defining images in sports history and helped introduce a generation to the power and possibility of women’s athletics.
A National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, Chastain has continued to build opportunities long after her playing career. She is a co-founder of Bay FC, has spent decades coaching and mentoring young athletes, and founded the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative to use sport to develop leadership and confidence in girls. Her impact embodies the legacy of Title IX: succeeding because doors were opened, then using her platform to hold those doors open wider for the women and girls coming next.
Hilary Knight is one of the most accomplished and influential players in the history of women’s hockey. A five-time Olympian and five-time Olympic medalist, Knight has won two Olympic gold medals and three silvers with Team USA, including gold at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. A 10-time IIHF World Champion, she has rewritten the record books and holds the all-time Women’s World Championship records for goals, assists, and points.
Knight’s legacy, however, reaches well beyond the ice. She has been one of the most powerful voices in the fight for equity, investment, and opportunity in women’s hockey, playing a pivotal role in the U.S. Women’s National Team’s fight for equitable treatment and in helping build a sustainable professional future for the sport through the Professional Women’s Hockey League. Her willingness to advocate for something bigger than herself has helped transform the landscape for the generations following her. Knight represents the very essence of a game changer: an athlete whose courage and leadership have helped move an entire sport forward.
2025 Game Changer Award
Athletes who changed the narrative within her sport. They captivated our culture with her grace, poise, and affirmation that anything is possible.
Kerri Walsh Jennings is a 5-time Olympian, 3-time Olympic gold medalist, and 1-time bronze medalist in beach volleyball. She was a 4-time 1st Team All-American at Stanford University, where her teams won 2 National Championships (‘96, ‘97) and finished runner-up in ‘99. Kerri transitioned to beach volleyball after the 2000 Olympic Games, where her indoor USA Volleyball team finished 4th.
Jennings partnered up with Misty May-Treanor in 2001 and started the greatest run of excellence for any beach volleyball duo in history. Together, Jennings and May-Treanor won 3 consecutive World Championships and 3 Olympic Gold medals over an 11-year period. They accrued a truly incredible 112-match win streak which broke their own record of an 89-match win streak. They were excellent at raising the bar and embodied sustained excellence at the highest level. They transformed the game here in America and globally.
Kerri is a very proud mother of 3 beautiful babes and the proud wife of Casey Jennings. Together, Kerri and Casey co-founded Platform 1440 & p1440 Foundation (p1440) which is dedicated to inspiring, empowering, and supporting our nation’s youth through the transformational power of sport – specifically volleyball.
Kerri Walsh Jennings officially retired from the Olympic pursuit in 2023 is creating and living a beautiful life with her family knowing the best is yet to come.
Lisa Leslie is a basketball icon whose career helped define an era and elevate women’s basketball around the world. A four-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time WNBA champion, three-time WNBA MVP, and eight-time WNBA All-Star, Leslie became one of the league’s first true superstars. In 2002, she made history as the first player to dunk in a WNBA game, creating an unforgettable moment that challenged perceptions of what was possible in women’s basketball. She was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Leslie’s influence extends far beyond statistics and championships. As one of the foundational stars of the WNBA, she helped establish the visibility, credibility, and excitement that paved the way for today’s generation of players. Her excellence, confidence, and leadership expanded the possibilities for women in professional sports and inspired countless young athletes to see themselves on the biggest stages. Lisa Leslie didn’t simply succeed within the game—she helped change the game.
A second-generation casino operator, philanthropist, and respected gaming executive, Diana Bennett is Chairman of the Board and Co-Founder of Paragon Gaming, a developer and operator of gaming properties throughout the United States and Canada.
A native of Glendale, Arizona, Bennett began her hospitality career in Las Vegas after attending Arizona State University. She later joined her father, gaming icon William Bennett, at Circus Circus Las Vegas, helping develop and operate landmark properties including Luxor Las Vegas and Excalibur Hotel and Casino. She also played key leadership roles in the Edgewater and Colorado Belle properties and the acquisition and transformation of the Sahara Hotel and Casino.
Bennett has managed casino operations across multiple jurisdictions and served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Casino Data Systems, one of North America’s major gaming technology manufacturers.
Since co-founding Paragon Gaming in 2000, Bennett has led major development and revitalization projects in the U.S. and Canada. Her leadership is rooted in a “circle of service” philosophy—empowering employees to build genuine customer relationships and deliver exceptional experiences at every level.
2025 Icon Award
After 17 years, two World Championships, two Olympic Gold Medals, and near unparalleled success as a marketing icon, Mia Hamm retired from professional soccer in 2004 as not only the best women’s soccer player in history but also as one of the most important and recognizable female figures in the history of sport. Hailed by ESPN as the greatest female athlete of the past 40 years, Mia was the youngest woman to ever appear in a match for the US Senior Squad at just 15 years old in 1987, and during her illustrious career playing for the national team shattered a litany of American records, most notably those for international goals (158) and assists (144).
In the years since her dominant run on the global stage as a player, Mia has continued to serve as an inspiration to young girls looking to rise to the pinnacle of the sporting world. Indeed, she has maintained an active presence within the soccer community and has served as an outspoken advocate for Title IX and gender equality across sporting lines, all the while cementing her status as the face of not merely a sport but rather of an entire generation of female athletes through her Foundation. Mia is also a part owner of the MLS’ Los Angeles Football Club and the expansion franchise, Angel FC of the NWSL.
