FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
B.A.A. Unveils Honorary Women's Team for 126th Boston Marathon
Eight trailblazing women to run in celebration of 50th anniversary of the
first official women's division in 1972
BOSTON - On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Boston Athletic
Association (B.A.A.) today announced a team of eight women who will
participate in April's 126th Boston Marathon, running in honor of the
original eight finishers from the first official women's field in 1972.
The honorary team is comprised of eight women who have made a powerful
impact in areas from athletics to human rights. Among the eight women is
Valerie Rogosheske, one of the original eight finishers in 1972, who
returns 50 years later to once again cross the finish line on Boylston
Street.
"I am so looking forward to returning to Boston this year with my daughters
to celebrate 50 years of women being welcomed into the Marathon," said
Rogosheske. "In 1972, the students at Wellesley yelled ‘Right on, sista!'
On the 25th anniversary the students looked like my daughters, and this
year they could be my granddaughters! I celebrate the progress through the
generations as women claim their places on the start line."
Joining Valerie on the Honorary Team are Mary Ngugi, Manuela Schär, and
Melissa Stockwell, each of whom will be competing at the front of the race
as part of the John Hancock Professional Athlete Team. Football and soccer
star Sarah Fuller, U.S. national women's soccer team alum Kristine Lilly,
Guinness world record holder Jocelyn Rivas, and running activist Verna
Volker round out the Honorary Team set for this year's race.
Information on each of the Honorary Team members can be found below. The
Honorary Team will be celebrated throughout race weekend at various Boston
Marathon events and activities.
BOSTON MARATHON HONORARY WOMEN'S TEAM
- Valerie Rogosheske is one of the original eight finishers from 1972.
Valerie is from Minnesota and placed in the top ten at the Boston Marathon
three times, taking sixth in 1972 (4:29:32), ninth in 1973 (3:51:12), and
eighth in 1974 (3:09:38). This year, instead of lining up among eight
female entrants, she'll be supported and surrounded by 14,000 other women
set to complete the 26.2 mile course, including her daughters Abigail and
Allie.
- Beyond being a world-class athlete, Mary Ngugi has been a vocal leader in
spreading awareness against domestic violence. Following the death of
professional athlete Agnes Tirop last year, Mary helped found the Women's
Athletic Alliance and led countless discussions —including with political
leaders— to continue the fight against domestic abuse and inequalities.
Mary placed third at last year's Boston Marathon, and is a previous B.A.A.
Distance Medley winner.
- Manuela Schär is one of the most dominant wheelchair racers in recent
history, having won three Boston Marathon titles and the last three Abbott
World Marathon Majors series crowns. At the Tokyo Paralympics, Schär earned
five medals (including a pair of golds) in distances from the 400 meters to
marathon. She's the current marathon world record and Boston course record
holder (1:28:17), and remains the only women's wheelchair athlete ever to
break the 1:30 barrier.
- One month after being deployed to Iraq as a Second Lieutenant in the
United States Army's transportation corps, Melissa Stockwell became the
first female American soldier to lose a limb in active combat after her
vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. Melissa was later honored with a Purple
Heart and a Bronze Star for her service. Four years later, she became the
first Iraq War veteran to qualify for the Paralympic Games, competing in
swimming at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Melissa competed in Paratriathlon
at both the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Paralympics, and is a Paralympic
bronze medalist. She'll take to the Boston Marathon's Para Athletics
Division (T63) for the first time, looking to add another title to her
impressive resume.
- Sarah Fuller has been a fierce athlete since the age of five, when she
first started playing soccer. She made history in 2020 as the first woman
to suit up for a SEC football game as a student-athlete while at Vanderbilt
University. Two weeks later, she made history again as the first woman to
play in and score in a Power 5 football game, notching a pair of extra
points for the Commodores. She studied Medicine, Health, and Society at
Vanderbilt, and is currently pursuing her Masters at the University of
North Texas where she is also a goalkeeper for the soccer team. This summer
she'll play for Minnesota Aurora FC of the USL W League. This will be
Fuller's first Boston Marathon.
- Kristine Lilly played 23 years for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team,
is a two-time World Cup Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and has
played more international soccer games than any other player -man or
woman—in the world (354). Lilly played professionally in the Boston area
for the Boston Breakers from 2001-2003 and 2009-2010. She is one of the
most celebrated athletes in women's soccer history, and was inducted into
the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2012 and U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2014.
She is also the co-author of Powerhouse, a book about teamwork. A resident
of Massachusetts, Lilly will take on her second Boston Marathon having run
ten years ago in 2012.
- Jocelyn Rivas is a proud Dreamer (DACA recipient) who came to the United
States from El Salvador when she was six years old. In El Salvador, she was
told she would most likely not be able to walk, but with physical therapy
and a continued focus on recovery, she has proven that prediction wrong.
She was inspired to run after watching friends in the 2013 Los Angeles
Marathon, and soon made it her goal to finish 100 marathons. In November
2021, she completed her 100th marathon at the age of 24, making her the
Guinness World Record holder for the youngest woman to run 100 marathons
and the world record holder for youngest Latina to ever do so. Boston will
be her 112th marathon.
- Verna Volker is the founder of Native Women Running, whose mission is to
build and nurture a community that features and encourages Native women
runners on and off the reservation. A mother of four, member of the Navajo
Nation, and brand ambassador, she balances family, running, and community
activism. Verna created Native Women Running to bring more visibility to
Native women runners across North America. She is part of the leadership
team for the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, which focuses on
improving inclusion, visibility, and access for Black, Indigenous, and
people of color within the sport. Verna is running on behalf of Wings of
America.
ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit
organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through
sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston Marathon is the world's
oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and
supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs.
Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John
Hancock. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors,
along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and
New York City. For more information on the B.A.A., or the B.A.A. club,
racing team, and High Performance Team, please visit www.baa.org.
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