Sports Illustrated featured Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour on its list of the “most powerful, most influential, and most outstanding women in sports right now” published Tuesday.
Barbour is one of five female athletic directors at Power Five conference schools, joining Jennifer Cohen (The University of Washington), Heather Lyke (Pitt), Candice Story Lee (Vanderbilt and Carla Williams (Virginia).
The percentage of female athletic directors has increased from 19% in 2009 to 24% in 2019, according to an annual report from Women Leaders in College Sports. However, most female athletic directors are in the Division II and III levels, which sets Barbour and the rest of this elite group of women apart.
The complete list, titled “The Unrelenting”, celebrates game-changing women who speak out, set the bar, and make a difference. The group of women varies greatly between coaches to athletes, broadcasters and executives.
Other notable inclusions on “The Unrelenting” are tennis legend Billie Jean King, World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe, Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore, gymnast Simone Biles and ESPN analyst and broadcaster Doris Burke, among others.
