WHEREAS, Throughout history women have strived to gain equality, and the Senate recognizes that struggle and honors the determination of women to be given equal stature in our society; and

WHEREAS, In their work to gain equality, women and girls have shown great strength, motivation, discipline, and leadership in their athletic accomplishments, using athletic programs not only to highlight women's and girls' outstanding athletic talents, but also to assist them in gaining life skills that can be used in their careers; and

WHEREAS, Athletics are an important tool to teach communication, teamwork, dedication, cooperation, and patience, and with this experience, women become more successful leaders and citizens throughout Washington State; and

WHEREAS, We encourage the people of our state to give women and girls equal respect and representation throughout media outlets in order to celebrate their exceptional athletic performance; and

WHEREAS, At a young age, there are many girls who have outstanding athletic ability, and in Washington, there are many high schools that develop those exceptional qualities of young women athletes, including state basketball champions Gonzaga Preparatory School, Cleveland High School, W.F. West High School, Lynden Christian High School, Colfax High School, and Colton High School; state wrestling champion Warden High School; state golf champions Bellarmine Preparatory School, Mt. Spokane High School, Bellingham High School, King's High School, and St. George's School; state track and field champions Federal Way High School, Kamiakin High School, Sehome High School, King's High School, Colfax High School, and Mount Vernon Christian School; state softball champions Puyallup High School, Kamiakin High School, Lake Washington High School, Elma High School, Toutle Lake High School, and Colton High School; state tennis champions Garfield High School, Mercer Island High School, Sehome High School, and Forest Ridge School; state cross country champions Camas High School, Holy Names Academy, Sehome High School, Lakeside School, and Northwest Christian High School; volleyball state champions Bellarmine Preparatory School, Auburn Riverside High School, Tumwater High School, Lynden Christian High School, Colfax High School, and Pomeroy High School; state soccer champions Central Valley High School, Edmonds-Woodway High School, Squalicum High School, Klahowya Secondary School, and Crosspoint Academy; state cheer champions Juanita High School, Union High School, Selah High School, Kentwood High School, Hockinson High School, Bethel High School, Meadowdale High School, Skyline High School, and Richland High School; state bowling champions Battle Ground High School, Wilson High School, and Bremerton High School; state gymnastics champions Woodinville High School and Kamiakin High School; state dance and drill champions Eastlake High School, Moses Lake High School, Pasco High School, Decatur High School, Tumwater High School, Hanford High School, Lake Washington High School, Hazen High School, Capital High School, and Montesano High School; and

WHEREAS, There are also a large number of exceptional athletes in our higher education programs that show great commitment and character throughout collegiate athletics; and

WHEREAS, At Seattle University, the women's cross country team won the 2014 Western Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country Championship, which was the Redhawk's first Division I conference title in the history of the school's cross country program; the women's rowing team's Novice 8+ boat, in only their second year as a Division I team, finished second at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships; the women's tennis program earned their first spots at the United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Women's Northwest Regional Championships since the rebirth of the school's tennis program six years ago; Joan Bonvincini is one of the winningest coaches in Division I women's basketball history, nearing 700 wins; Dorsey Addicks, a member of the golf team, qualified for the United States Women's Amateur Championship; women's soccer defeated Washington State University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, marking the team's first ever Division I tournament postseason win; and Stephanie Verdoia, women's soccer senior captain, received a number of national awards, including Academic All-American of the Year for Division I women's soccer, the Senior CLASS Award, and selection by Third-Team All-America, and was recently drafted by the National Women's Soccer League's Boston Breakers; and

WHEREAS, At Western Washington University, track and field members Bethany Drake and Katie Reichert placed one-two in the women's javelin at the NCAA Division II National Track & Field Championships; Carmen Dolfo's team won the 500th game of her 24-year career and became the first women's basketball coach in the Pacific Northwest to achieve that distinction at a four-year university; Katelyn Steen of the women's cross country team finished fifth at the Women's Cross Country Nationals and captured both the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II West Regional individual titles in cross country; women's soccer defender Brianna Jones was named to three All-America teams; Kim Cooper of the soccer team was named the 2014 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year; volleyball team member Samantha Hutchinson was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American and Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, for the third straight season for both; the Vikings rowing team won the varsity four race at nationals and Emily Little of the rowing team was named a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Pocock All-American; women's softball player Alexie Levin was honored with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year award; and golf player Kristen Hansen was named Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year and competed at regionals; and

WHEREAS, At the University of Puget Sound, the women's soccer team won its 13th consecutive Northwest Conference title and returned to the Division III NCAA Tournament; soccer player Amalia Acorda-Fey was named Northwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was a member of the All-NWC First Team and National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-West Region First Team; women's track and field player Allanah Whitehall qualified to race in the 2014 Division III NCAA Championship and was a member of the winning relay team at the Northwest Conference Championships; women's basketball player Amanda Forshay was one of ten NCAA Division III women's basketball players selected to travel throughout Brazil to compete against the country's top club teams, was named to the All-NWC First Team, and was the Pacific Northwest Tournament MVP with the Loggers' victory in that tournament; and Melissa Norish of the women's swimming team was named Northwest Conference Swimmer of the Year; and

WHEREAS, At the University of Washington, the women's basketball team won 11 straight games for the first time since 1990 and made two straight wins over top 5 teams; the women's golf team ended the fall season ranked number 1 in the nation; Soo-Bin Kim of the golf team ended the fall season as the number 1 ranked individual collegiate golfer and went on to earn her Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour Card; Freshman Jing Yan of the golf team won her second collegiate tournament, earned partial Ladies Professional Golf Association status, and turned pro; the women's softball team advanced to Super Regionals for the seventh consecutive year; Victoria Hayward, Hooch Fagaly, and Kylee Lahners were selected as National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Players; Megan Kufeld of the women's soccer team was named to the Capital One Academic All-American third team; and volleyball player Krista Vansant was named the Academic All-American Player of the Year and won the Honda Award for the National Player of the Year for the second year in a row; and

WHEREAS, At Pacific Lutheran University, women's basketball and track and field player Samantha Potter was named the Northwest Conference Female Athlete of the Year; the women's volleyball and swimming teams were Northwest Conference champions; and sixty-three female student athletes were named Northwest Conference Scholar Athletes for their outstanding academic achievements; and

WHEREAS, At Whitworth University, the women's volleyball team was Northwest Conference Champions and appeared in the NCAA Division III tournament for the sixth time in school history; volleyball player Maddye Dismore was named the Northwest Conference Player of the Year and was named to the First-Team All-West Region team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association; volleyball coach Kati Bodecker was named Northwest Conference Coach of the Year; the women's basketball team continued as the Northwest Conference tournament champions; basketball player Kayla Johnson was selected to the 2014 Division III Coaches' All-American Team by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association; cross country team members Amanda Blankenship, Kellyn Roiko, Kristen Schoenike, and Jess Arnzen all earned NCAA Division III All-West Region honors; Jackie Beal of the women's swimming team qualified and competed in the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championship; and track and field team members Kerry Wright, Dakota Kliamovich, and Courtney Fairhart earned outdoor All-American Honors in javelin, hammer throw, and discus; and

WHEREAS, At Seattle Pacific University, women's gymnast Maria Hundley won three national championships including a gold medal for the vault, uneven bars, and balance beam; gymnast Kai Tindall won the floor exercise national championship in women's gymnastics; track and field member McKayla Frickner was the 900-meter champion at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championship; the women's soccer team won its second straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament Championship; and soccer team member Isabel Farrell was voted the 2014 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year and received Second-Team All-American honors; and

WHEREAS, At Eastern Washington University, women's basketball players Haley Hodgins, Melissa Williams, Jade Redmond, Lexie Nelson, Aubry Ashenfelter, Marly Anderson, Bethany Montgomery, Hanna Mack, and Kylie Huerta all received Big Sky All-Academic Team honors; Haley Hodgins also received the Frances B. Huston Medallion and the All-Big Sky honorable mention; Lexie Nelson received All-Big Sky First Team honors; women's cross country members Lauren Brewington, Acacia Smith, Brittney Swanson, Paula Gil-Echevarria, Mayra Chavez, Katie Lynch, Amber Core, Michaela Chucka, and Rachel Hatcher all received Big Sky All-Academic Team honors; women's soccer players Cassie Black, Briann Brannan, Siara Byers, Katie Cashman, Caitlin Hepworth, Jackie Rodger, Nathalie Schwery, Torri Sitzman, Haley Stading, Kayla Sutter, Jessica Wallace, Shayla Weiler, Ua Ruedy, Sheridan Becanic, Hailie McClure, Katy Allen, and Nicole Medeirosall received Big Sky All-Academic Team honors; women's soccer player Cassie Black earned preseason All-Big Sky Second Team honors from College Sports Madness and received All-Big Sky First Team honors; and soccer player Chloe Williams received All-Big Sky First Team honors and earned All-Big Sky Second Team honors from College Sports Madness; and

WHEREAS, At Washington State University, rowing team member Nicole Hare was awarded a place on the 2014 Pocock All-American Second Team and All-Pac-12 Conference First Team; women's track and field team member Charolette Muschamp was the Pacific-12 Conference Women's High Jump Champion; soccer player Jordan Branch was a part of the Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman Team; tennis player Elizaveta Luzina was awarded the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Northwest Region 2014 Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship; the soccer team reached the NCAA Championship for the fourth straight season; the women's basketball team reached the Pacific-12 Tournament semifinal round for the second time in the last three years and was selected for the Women's National Invitation tournament; swimmers Emma Johansson, Alison Mand, Shaya Schaedler, and Presley Wetterstorm were Pacific-12 All-Academic First Team members; women's track and field senior Ruby Roberts set school record times in the 5,000 meter and 3,000 meter events, and was named to the 2014 Capital One All-Academic District 8 Women's Cross Country/Track & Field Team presented by the College Sports Information Directors of America; cross country runner Abby Regan finished ninth at the Pacific-12 Cross Country Championships; and head tennis coach Lisa Hart had her 141st win at Washington State University, giving her the most coaching wins in the university's tennis history; and

WHEREAS, At The Evergreen State College, volleyball player Kelsey Delagrange was a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Scholar-Athlete for the 2014 season; three players on the women's basketball team combined won five Cascade Collegiate Conference Player of the Week awards; and the college will host a women's basketball conference playoff game for the first time in program history; and

WHEREAS, At Central Washington University, volleyball player Catie Fry was given the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American, Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Conference, All-West Region, and Academic All-Conference awards; volleyball player Linden Firethorne was named All-GNAC by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference; cross country runner Dani Eggleston and Megan Rogers both received awards for All-Region and Academic All-Conference; cross country runner Connie Morgan was given the All-American, All-Region, and Academic All-Conference awards; women's soccer player Mackenzie Notle was given the All-West Region and All-GNAC award; soccer player Hadli Farrand was given the All-GNAC and Academic All-Conference awards; the women's cross country team finished 18th in the nation during their 2014 season; and the women's volleyball team made it to the NCAA Division II West Regional Tournament; and

WHEREAS, The Senate would like to honor professional women's teams throughout our state and their great accomplishments; and

WHEREAS, The Oly Rollers are currently the reigning USA Roller Sports regional and national champions in roller derby; are ranked number 20 out of 700 teams worldwide in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association; and are not only outstanding athletes but, as mothers, sisters, and aunts, are also role models to young women athletes—one of the player's daughters, Gabby Lewis, is an active hockey and volleyball player, ballet and hip-hop dancer, speed skater, and football participant; another daughter of a player, Kaylee Logan, is a 4.0 student at Yelm Middle School, a player in the Ladies World Rink Hockey Team, which won nationals in 2014, and is now a part of the USA Team; and another daughter of a player, Gabriella Charneski, is an 11 year old attending St. Michael School in Olympia, and won national titles in 2014 in the U12 and U10 division of roller hockey; and

WHEREAS, The Rat City Rollers All-Star team fought its way through to the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Championships and finished 16th in the world; had a member of the team, Lacey Ramon, on Team USA at the Roller Derby World Cup; and has members of the organization who coach several roller derby teams and support over ten charities every month; and

WHEREAS, The Everett Reign made the playoffs in their second season and had eight All-American players; had player Courtney Curdy be a runner-up for the Women's Football Association Rookie of the Year award and nominee as a Women's Football Association All-American; and has player Brooklyn Holton also in training with the USA Women's bobsled team; and

WHEREAS, The Seattle Reign went their first 16 games of the 2014 season unbeaten, setting a new league record; received the National Women's Soccer League Shield, which is awarded to the team with the best record at the end of the regular season, and advanced to the National Women's Soccer League Championship game; had head coach and general manager Laura Harvey named National Women's Soccer League Coach of the Year; had player Kim Little awarded the Golden Boot, given to the player who scores the most goals during the regular season, and named the National Women's Soccer League's Most Valuable Player; had players Kendall Fletcher, Jess Fishlock, and Nahomi Kawasumi nominated for the National Women's Soccer League Best XI team; and had players Hope Solo, Lauren Barnes, and Stephanie Cox named to the Second XI team; and

WHEREAS, The Seattle Majestics made it to the third round of playoffs in the 2014 season and took home two major league awards, the Owners of the Year award, to team owners Scott and Shanna McCaron, and the Rookie of the Year award, to player Toakase Tukutau; and

WHEREAS, The Seattle Storm played the franchise's 15th season in 2014, with Sue Bird, who is known as the best point guard in the world, playing her 13th season with the Women's National Basketball Association, and Temeka Johnson recording a triple-double—the only active Women's National Basketball Association player to do so since 2005; and

WHEREAS, While not every women athlete wins championships or trophies, every athlete gives it their all, and we honor their exceptional performance;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor and recognize women athletes as a vital part of our state on March 6, 2015, noting that these women, with their outstanding athletic ability and academic achievements, are an indispensable part of making this state such a wonderful place to live; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to all of the aforementioned athletes and their respective institutions.