Distinguished Female Athletes Eliassen, Hucles and Nichols to join Women's Sports Foundation Leadership

The Foundation's Newly Elected 2014 Board of Trustees Calls on Leaders from Diverse Sports to Help Shape Future Generations of Female Athletes. End Quote

New York, NY (1888PressRelease) January 29, 2014 - The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) announced today the appointment of three new champion athletes to its Board of Trustees: Olympic gold medalist Angela Hucles, Soccer; six-time X Games medalist Grete Eliassen, Slopestyle Skiing; and Paralympic gold medalist and 2014 hopeful Alana Nichols, Skiing, effective immediately. Hucles, Eliassen and Nichols will bring their collective experience and dynamic leadership to the organization alongside current president and Olympic gold medalist Angela Ruggiero, Ice Hockey, and fellow trustee athletes Laila Ali, Tamika Catchings, Jessica Mendoza, Benita Fitzgerald Mosley and Aimee Mullins.

The Women's Sports Foundation - the leading authority on the participation of women and girls in sports - is dedicated to creating leaders by ensuring girls access to sports. The Foundation's Board of Trustees, comprised of champion athletes, prominent business leaders, major benefactors and principals of women's sports organizations, will collaborate to facilitate the exemplary operation of the organization and oversee the accomplishment of the Foundation's goals and objectives.

"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome such inspirational athletes and talented women to the Women's Sports Foundation Board of Trustees. Their background and experience will be invaluable as we continue in our pursuit of providing greater access to sport and physical activity," said Kathryn Olson, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation. "This is not only a pivotal time for the Women's Sports Foundation as we celebrate our 40th year but also because the challenges to access continue to exist across all levels of sport."

At the elite level, the Women's Sports Foundation has a long history of championing girls' and women's excellence in sports and has helped many athletes like Eliassen, Hucles and Nichols reach the next level of success. Through the Foundation's Travel & Training Fund alone, eleven grantees are fulfilling a lifelong dream in representing Team USA in Sochi. The Foundation's efforts to celebrate these women and all of its athletes will be shared through social media channels, Facebook.com/WomensSportsFoundation and Twitter ( @ ) WomensSportsFdn dot

On Tuesday, January 28 at 1 p.m. ET, Eliassen, Nichols and several other champion winter athletes will participate in a live #TeamWSFinSochi Twitter Party hosted by the Women's Sports Foundation. The public can join the conversation by following ( @ ) WomensSportsFdn and using hashtag #TeamWSFinSochi dot

"The Women's Sports Foundation is dedicated to creating leaders by giving girls access to sports and I'm excited to help lead the organization to get more girls in the game," expressed Olympic soccer player Angela Hucles, founding member of the Women's Sports Foundation Athlete Advisory Panel (2008). "Whether recreational or competitive, we believe that sports participation and a healthy lifestyle are vitally important for everyone. As a trustee, I look forward to harnessing sport as a tool to empower girls to be the next generation of healthy, successful leaders."

Grete Eliassen, Six-time Winter X Games medalist, Slopestyle Skiing
Grete Eliassen is a six-time Winter X Games medalist, four-time U.S. Open champion, 2009 Winter Dew Tour silver medalist and 2007 Ullr Girl of the Year. In 2010, Eliassen set the Women's Hip Jump World Record - reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour, she hit the custom 30-foot "hip" feature and soared more than 31 feet in the air surpassing all female competitors. Eliassen is a graduate of the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business and resides in Park City, Utah.

Angela Hucles, Two-time Olympic gold medalist, Soccer
Angela Hucles is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time World Cup medalist, eight-year member of the U.S. National Team and the 2009 US Soccer Humanitarian of the Year Award Winner. In 2012, Hucles founded the Empowerment Through Sport Leadership Series providing educational and motivational services to girls, parents and coaches. Hucles was a four-time First-Team All-ACC selection at the University of Virginia and graduated as UVA's all-time leader in goals (59) and points (138). Hucles is a native of Virginia Beach and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Alana Nichols, five-time Paralympic medalist, Wheelchair Basketball/Downhill Skiing
Alana Nichols, three-time Paralympian, five-time Paralympic medalist and 2011 USOC Paralympic Athlete of the Year, is the first American woman to win gold in both the Winter and Summer Paralympic Games. Nichols is a four-time World Championships medalist and three-time U.S. National Champion, 2011 Colorado Sports Woman of the Year and three-time ESPY Award nominee. Nichols played wheelchair basketball for the University of Arizona and later earned a Master's Degree from the University of Alabama. Nichols grew up in Farmington, New Mexico, and now resides in Denver, Colorado.

For a complete list of the Foundation's Board of Trustees, please visit: http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/home/about-us/people/board-of-trustees.

About The Women's Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation - the leading authority on the participation of women and girls in sports - is dedicated to creating leaders by ensuring girls access to sports. We advocate for access at all levels, including girls in underserved communities. We educate the public, conduct research and offer grants to promote sports and physical activity for girls and women. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, the Women's Sports Foundation builds on her legacy as a champion athlete, advocate of social justice and agent of change.

Our work shapes public attitude about women's sports and athletes, builds capacities for organizations that get girls active, provides equal opportunities for girls and women, and supports physically and emotionally healthy lifestyles. The Women's Sports Foundation is has relationships with more than 1,000 of the world's elite female athletes and is recognized globally for its leadership, vision, strength, expertise and influence. For more information, visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org. Follow the Foundation at www.Facebook.com/WomensSportsFoundation or on Twitter ( ( @ ) WomensSportsFdn).

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