Breaking the Silence: How Female Athletes Are Leading the Mental Health Conversation

In the high-stakes world of collegiate athletics, pressure is nothing new. But what is new—and powerful—is how female athletes are stepping forward, naming their emotional struggles, and pushing mental health to the forefront of college sports.

Athletes like Hailey Van Lith, Lauren Betts, Paige Bueckers, and Azzi Fudd are no longer staying silent. They're showing that strength isn’t just about pushing through pain—it’s about acknowledging it, talking about it, and getting help.

🧠 Hailey Van Lith: Giving Herself Grace

Now playing for TCU, Hailey Van Lith has been transparent about her internal battles. After years of dealing with intense public scrutiny and pressure to perform, Van Lith admitted to reaching a breaking point. She described moments of darkness, followed by the decision to give herself grace and prioritize joy again.

In a postgame interview, she shared, “That was a moment of loving life.” For her, returning to herself meant finding peace beyond basketball—a reminder that healing and high performance can go hand in hand.
📚 The Athletic

🌿 Lauren Betts: Reclaiming Joy Through Mental Wellness

UCLA center Lauren Betts experienced a period of emotional struggle that affected both her confidence and performance. But she made a conscious choice: to step back, focus on her mental health, and redefine her relationship with the game.

At the 2025 Final Four, she said:
“I’m playing the best basketball I’ve ever played because I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Betts’ openness reminds us that well-being isn’t a distraction from winning—it's the foundation of it.
📚 USA Today

🔒 Paige Bueckers: Seeking Safe Space in the Spotlight

UConn star Paige Bueckers has faced tremendous expectations since her breakout freshman year, alongside a major injury that sidelined her for much of the 2023 season. Through it all, she chose to work with a mental health professional to process the pressure and pain.

“It’s a grounding point,” she said. “You can talk to someone who doesn’t judge you, who doesn’t label you.”

Her transparency is a powerful message: even the most decorated athletes deserve space to feel, to heal, and to ask for help.
📚 AP News

✨ Azzi Fudd: Strength in Support

Another UConn standout, Azzi Fudd, has also chosen to lean into mental wellness. Quiet and focused on the court, Fudd has spoken about the emotional toll of expectations, injury recovery, and identity beyond sports.

By engaging with mental health professionals, she’s modeling that seeking help is not weakness—it’s wisdom. Her example further proves that today’s female athletes aren’t just playing the game—they’re changing it.
📚 AP News

💔 A Sobering Reminder

The urgency around mental health in college athletics was tragically underscored in 2022, when several female college athletes died by suicide, shaking the sports world and prompting critical conversations about emotional well-being:

• Katie Meyer, 22 — Soccer player and team captain at Stanford University
  📚 Voice of America | KFF Health News
• Sarah Shulze, 21 — Track and cross country standout at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
  📚 CBS News
• Lauren Bernett, 20 — Softball star at James Madison University
  📚 CBS News | Voice of America
• Jayden Hill, 20 — Track and field athlete at Northern Michigan University
  📚 NBC News
  
  

These young women were not just athletes—they were daughters, teammates, students, and leaders. Their heartbreaking losses highlight the invisible battles many athletes face behind the scenes and expose the urgent need for comprehensive mental health resources across all levels of college sports.

🏁 Moving Forward: Why the Me 1st Then Sports™ Movement Matters

The courageous vulnerability of today’s female athletes is fueling a larger movement. It’s no longer enough to say, "It’s okay to not be okay." We must create systems and spaces where athletes are equipped to thrive emotionally, not just perform physically.

That’s where the Me 1st Then Sports™ movement comes in.

This movement prioritizes the human behind the athlete. It encourages athletes to center their mental health, identity, and well-being first—before stats, scores, or scholarships. It also calls on coaches, parents, and administrators to redefine success in sports by creating cultures of care and emotional safety.

In a time of NIL deals, transfer portal chaos, social media pressure, and performance-driven systems, Me 1st Then Sports™ is not just timely—it’s necessary.

🗣️ Final Word

By speaking out, Van Lith, Betts, Bueckers, and Fudd are doing more than inspiring fans—they’re saving lives. They're showing that vulnerability is strength, and that the future of women’s sports can be rooted in empathy, healing, and holistic growth.

Let’s follow their lead. Let’s keep listening. And let’s keep putting people before performance.