This Summer's Top Sports Moments All Have One Thing In Common: Women
Among sports fans, and their significant others, the summer is considered a time to take a break from binge-watching our favorite athletes and teams.
The days are long, the nights are short and I refuse to sit there and watch a four hour baseball game from start to finish.
Last summer, however, we were spoiled by the World Cup in Brazil.
Once we were done feeding on the excitement of the NBA and NHL playoffs, we segued right into the delights of James Rodriguez, Lionel Messi and Mario Gotze.
This summer, whether we realize it or not, we've been just as privileged.
When Carli Lloyd recorded the first hat-trick in Women's World Cup final history, not only did it mark the United States' first World Cup triumph in 16 years, it capped one of the most exciting sports months of the year.
And when Caitlyn Jenner took the stage to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs, she swiftly vindicated ESPN's decision to honor her.
Sure, the Copa America was an exciting soccer tournament -- albeit with a pretty anti-climactic ending -- and Todd Frazier's Home Run Derby triumph was as thrilling as baseball is going to get until September, but what really sticks out about this summer's top sports moments is the fact that they've been dominated by female athletes.
From the Women's World Cup to Ronda Rousey taking down Floyd Mayweather Jr., here's how female athletes have owned this summer's top sports moments.
The "Rugby War Goddess" redefined what it means to "play like a girl."
In less than 24 hours, Georgia Page's heroics for the Lindenwood University women's rugby team became legendary.
Page broke her nose while playing in the championship match against Notre Dame College, but she soldiered on like the hero she is.
She helped her team to a 24-17 win, took a shot at the US healthcare system and even had time for a championship selfie.
Melissa Mayeux became the first female added to Major League Baseball's international registration list.
The 16-year-old from France plays shortstop with the grace of Derek Jeter, and this summer, she officially became eligible to sign with any Major League team.
Already playing with male counterparts on the French U-18 junior national team, Mayeux is blazing a trail few women have walked down before.
Ronda Rousey won the ESPY for Best Fighter and sonned Floyd Mayeather in her acceptance speech.
Not only did the most dangerous female alive beat out Floyd Mayweather for the Best Fighter ESPY, she also landed another punch in her victory speech.
After Rousey received her award at the ESPYs pre-show, she said she wondered how Floyd must be feeling after being "beat by a woman for once."
German midfielder Alexandra Popp cut her head open, but refused to leave the Women's World Cup semis.
We all watched some male soccer players flop around like fish out of water, so it was refreshing to watch the world's female soccer stars give it their all up in Canada.
One female in particular who showed an extraordinary amount of grit was German midfielder Alexandra Popp.
During Germany's semifinal clash with the United States, Popp received a nasty cut after a head-to-head collision with the US' Morgan Brian, but she refused to leave the game.
Serena Williams won Wimbledon and keeps her dream of a calendar Grand Slam alive.
Earlier this month, Serena Williams fought the nerves and the haters to conquer her sixth Wimbledon title.
It was Serena's 21st overall Grand Slam title, and following her victories at the Australian and French Opens, she's firmly in line to become the first woman in 27 years to win all four annual Grand Slam tournaments.
The US Open starts on August 31, in case you were wondering.
Becky Hammon became the first female head coach to win the NBA's Summer League.
Following a 15-year pro playing career, San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon became the first female head coach to win the NBA's Summer League.
Hammon is clearly trusted by Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, and her victory shows that Pop was right to place his faith in her basketball IQ.
A female taking the reigns of an NBA team during the regular season may happen sooner than we thought.
USWNT forward Abby Wambach presented Caitlyn Jenner with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
There was much debate over whether or not Caitlyn Jenner was worthy of receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs.
And whether you agree with the decision or not, there is no doubt that Jenner delivered one of the greatest acceptance speeches since Jim Valvano back in 1993.
A gay soccer icon presenting an award to one of the key figures for transgender awareness is something that would make Arthur Ashe very proud.
Carli Lloyd scored the goal of the tournament, and the US women captured their first World Cup title since 1999.
In a performance worthy of the captain's armband, US midfielder Carli Lloyd single-handedly propelled the United States to a 5-2 victory over Japan in the Women's World Cup final.
The New Jersey native scored in the third and fifth minute, before rounding out her hat-trick with a 56-yard goal from her own half.
Following their victory, the USWNT went on a country-wide victory tour for the ages.
For the first time ever, women's baseball was played at the Pan Am Games.
This month, women's baseball made history by being played for the first time at a large, multi-sport event.
Playing with the same base dimensions as men's baseball, the United States beat Venezuela 10-6 in a regulation seven inning game.
The US women's soccer team became the first group of female athletes to walk through the Canyon of Heroes.
Following their World Cup triumph in Canada, the USWNT received one of the highest honors ever bestowed upon a group of female athletes.
Not only were Carli Lloyd and her US teammates mobbed by thousands of screaming fans at a parade through Manhattan's Canyon of Heroes, they each received a key to the city from Mayor Bill de Blasio.
