Flo Hyman Memorial Award
From 1987 to 2004, the Flo Hyman Memorial Award was presented by the Women's Sports Foundation in conjunction with NGWSD to an outstanding female athlete, who exemplifies Flo Hyman's dignity, spirit, and commitment to excellence. Hyman, who was captain of the 1984 U.S. Olympic volleyball team, led her team to a silver medal and brought U.S. women's volleyball worldwide recognition and respect. She died suddenly from Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder, while playing Japan in 1986. We honor those spectacular female athletes that have won this distinguished award.
1987 Martina Navratilova—Considered the greatest tennis player of all time, holds the honor of winning the most singles titles (167) and matches (1,438).
1988 Jackie Joyner-Kersee—Selected as the greatest female summer Olympian of the century by the Associated Press, four-time Olympian in track and field, shattered numerous records while competing.
1989 Evelyn Ashford—Olympic career in track and field lasted 16 years, was a double gold medalist in the 1984 Olympic Games, won four golds and a silver medal throughout her career.
1990 Chris Evert—First professional tennis player to win 1,000 singles matches, had the best record on clay (125 consecutive wins), holds 157 singles titles.
1991 Diana Golden—One of the greatest, most successful disabled athletes ever. She won 10 gold medals in the World Disabled Ski Championships, was named "U.S. Skier of the Year" in 1988, and competed in able-bodied races despite the fact that she had lost a leg to cancer when a child.
1992 Nancy Lopez—One of the greatest female golfers of all time, recognized as one of LPGA's top 50 players and teachers, honored as "Golfer of the Decade" by GOLF Magazine.
1993 Lynette Woodard—Captain of the 1984 Gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team, four-time All-American, first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.
1994 Patty Sheehan—One of the all-time leaders in LPGA Career Earnings, selected as LPGA Player of the Year in 1983, won six major titles throughout her career.
1995 Mary Lou Retton—First female American gymnast to win a gold medal in the all-around event, scoring perfect 10s in the 1984 Olympic Games.
1996 Donna de Varona—Two-time gold medalist, set 18 world records in swimming, first president of the Women's Sports Foundation.
1997 Billie Jean King—Trailblazer in women's sports, winner of 20 Wimbledon tennis titles, first woman to sign a professional contract, founder of the Women's Sports Foundation.
1998 Nadia Comaneci—First person to earn a perfect 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event, winning three gold and two silver medals in the 1976 Olympics Games.
1999 Bonnie Blair—First woman to win two Olympic speed-skating events in one Olympics, and the first American woman to win consecutive winter Olympic Games championships.
2000 Monica Seles—Professional tennis player who overcame physical and psychological traumas of being stabbed and returned to the top level of professional tennis.
2001 Lisa Leslie—Two-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time NCAA All-American, one of the most versatile and powerful centers, WNBA all-time leading scorer.
2002 Dr. Dot Richardson—Two-time gold medalist, 23-year veteran on the U.S. softball team, also a full-time orthopedic surgeon.
2003 Nawal El Moutawakel—First Moroccan to win a gold medal (1984 Olympic Games, 400m hurdles), first Muslim woman elected as member of International Olympic Committee.
2004 Kristi Yamaguchi—First U.S. woman to win a gold medal in Olympic figure skating since 1976, and founder of the Always Dream Foundation.
