Sports Technology and Leadership: Insights from Our January Virtual Forum

On January 21, 2026, WIT hosted a virtual forum exploring how technology is transforming women’s sports and how female leaders are shaping the future of athletics. The discussion was moderated by Marie Mouchet and brought together three accomplished panelists who have balanced demanding sports careers with motherhood and organizational leadership:

• Joni Taylor, Texas A&M basketball coach and five-time USA Basketball gold medalist as a member of the coaching staff
• Tiffany Daniels, SEC Associate Commissioner for Competition and former University of Georgia player
• Danielle Donehew, Executive Director of the WBCA, trained engineer, former Pat Summitt staffer, and recent Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

Leadership, Representation, and the Future of Sports Tech

Each speaker shared experiences of being “the only woman in the room,” especially early in their careers. Over time, their approach shifted from trying to fit in to confidently asserting expertise and leadership.

The panel inspired attendees with a powerful call to action: Women must not only use technology in sports, but lead its development and application. By occupying decision-making spaces and continuing to push for visibility, women can help redefine the future of both sports and technology.

Key takeaways included:

• Continue integrating advanced technology in training and competition management
• Expand visibility and education around women’s sports to grow audiences
• Support leadership pathways for women in both sports and technology

Technology in Athlete Performance

The panel highlighted how wearables and data are revolutionizing training and player safety. Joni Taylor shared how tools like the KINEXON track player movements, workloads, and recovery. Transparent sharing of this data allows athletes to monitor progress and learn from their performance. During the pandemic, KINEXON also played a critical role in contact tracing to keep players safe.

AI and Smarter Competition Management

Tiffany Daniels discussed how AI systems such as Fastbreak.ai have streamlined complex scheduling for conferences. These tools consider factors like home/away balance, rest periods, travel distances, and television requests to optimize schedules while reducing human error. Still, panelists emphasized that human judgment remains crucial for prioritizing decisions that impact athletes and competition outcomes.

Visibility and Growth of Women’s Basketball

The conversation also explored the growing audience and commercial value of women’s basketball. From a single televised NCAA final in 1982 to hundreds of games today, viewership continues to rise (women’s semifinal and championship games now reach millions), driving increased media contracts and sponsorship opportunities. Danielle Donehew stressed that fan engagement is critical to sustaining the sport’s growth and ensuring its commercial impact.

The forum reinforced WIT’s mission to elevate women in technology across industries, and inspired action for both current and future leaders. We look forward to continuing these conversations and exploring emerging topics such as NIL, the transfer portal, and new opportunities in women’s athletics.

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