National Girls & Women in Sports Day: Finding Community Through Women’s Basketball

As the week continues, we celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day, a time to
recognize the impact women continue to make in athletics not just as competitors, but as
leaders, role models, and voices within the sports world. At CU Denver, women's basketball
represents far more than the game itself. It's a space for growth, confidence, and community.
To better understand what it means to be a woman in sports, I spoke with Ashlyn Stapleton, a
junior, and Loryn Bustos, a freshman on the CU Denver Women's Basketball team. Through
their experiences, both athletes shared how basketball has shaped their lives on and off the
court.
For Stapleton, the conversation around women in sports often comes back to representation.
She recalled attending a Broncos game where 23 men and only two women were present in the
media space, a moment that stood out to her and reinforced why visibility for women in sports
still matters today.
"Women belong in any room," Stapleton said. She emphasized that women deserve
opportunities not only as athletes, but also in sports media, leadership, and behind-the-scenes
roles. Having a voice in those spaces, she explained, is just as important as what happens on
the court.
Basketball has long been a meaningful part of Stapleton's life, even bringing her closer to her
mother, who coached her when she was younger. After transferring to CU Denver during her
sophomore year following time spent fully online, joining the Women's Basketball team gave her
the college experience she felt she had been missing. The team helped her step out of her
comfort zone and rediscover her love for the game after taking time away.
Now, basketball serves as Stapleton's outlet, a place to decompress, connect, and feel
supported. She described the team as more than just teammates. They are friends and family,
creating an environment where practices are enjoyable and games feel more meaningful
because of the relationships built along the way.
For Bustos, being a woman in sports is something she views as a privilege. When asked why
celebrating women in sports is important, she reflected on the generations of women who were
never given the opportunity to participate in athletics.
"There were thousands of women before us who didn't have the chance to be in sports," Bustos
said. She explained that whether she's competing as an athlete or pursuing a Sports Business
degree with hopes of working in the industry, she doesn't take that role lightly. For her, playing
basketball is about honoring the women who came before and helping create a future where the
next generation doesn't have to work as hard to be recognized.
Bustos's connection to basketball began early. Coming from a family deeply rooted in sports, the
game always felt natural to her. Her dad played basketball, and several members of her family
have been involved in coaching women's basketball across the state, making the sport a
constant presence growing up. She began playing in an organized league in second grade and
doesn't remember a moment when she consciously decided to pick up the game; it was simply
always part of who she was.
Choosing CU Denver allowed Bustos to pursue a Sports Business major while continuing to
play basketball, but the decision to join the team didn't come without hesitation. In high school,
she often faced discouragement and was told she was "too small" and "not athletic enough" to
play, which made her unsure of what kind of environment she would be stepping into at the
collegiate level. Still, she reached out to the team captain about attending tryouts a moment she
admitted was nerve-wracking at the time. That decision ultimately led her to a supportive and
welcoming team culture that helped her step out of her shell and build confidence both on and
off the court.
Now, Bustos describes the CU Denver Women's Basketball team as a place where she feels
supported, motivated, and at home. Like Stapleton, she credits the team's positive culture for
helping her grow not only as an athlete, but as a person.
As National Girls & Women in Sports Day is celebrated, stories like those of Stapleton and
Bustos serve as a reminder that women's basketball is about more than wins and losses. It's
about representation, opportunity, and the power of finding community through sport.