College athletics could be described as somewhat of a marriage pact between an athlete and their sport. I’ve often felt as though I’ve been devoted to tennis, for better or for worse — through sickness and in health. To be honest, at times, it felt like a commitment of “until death do us part,” except it was always just me and my racket.

This so-called union of matrimony has taken up a great deal of my time over the past four years and an even more substantial fraction of my thoughts. Through the obstacles, the injuries, the wins, and of course, the losses, one word seems to stay at the forefront of my mind persistently: legacy. 

How do I want to be remembered? What can I do to improve our program culture? How can I make sure the women athletes who follow me have the best experience possible in the future? These are all questions that get me out of bed every morning — the desire to leave my team and sport even better than I found them. I signed up for the unwavering commitment that is college athletics to strive for something greater than myself, and I would not trade my experience for anything in the world. 

Daily headlines, sent straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest at and around USC.

Wednesday, Feb. 5, marked the celebration of National Girls & Women in Sports Day. This holiday is the epitome of what it means to leave a legacy behind you, specifically as a woman athlete. It’s a reminder of the significance of empowering the next generation and ensuring that as each decade passes, more opportunities open for girls in sports. 

On Feb. 12, just seven days after National Girls & Women in Sports Day, the United States Department of Education, under the Trump administration, overturned the recent guidance that name, image and likeness deals in college athletics must be shared equally among men and women athletes in the U.S. 

This withdrawal of this guidance on Title IX would erase the Biden administration’s argument that NIL agreements should be treated as financial aid and therefore should be distributed equitably among all college athletes. The current administration claims there is no solid legal reason to support this assertion and thus states that Title IX does not require schools to split NIL revenue equally based on gender. 

The beginning of February is meant to be a time to celebrate the achievements of women in sports and reflect on the incredible progress we’ve made. Instead, women athletes have been stripped of their protection under Title IX to equitably benefit from their athletic ability. 

Full disclosure: One of the main reasons I wanted to write this column in the first place was perhaps selfishly due to personal anxiety. I have always feared that I would look back 20 years from now to when I had a voice as a woman student-athlete and saw inequalities within the system and realize I chose to say nothing. The question I have for all those reading is this: Are we going to look back and ask ourselves why we didn’t push back harder? 

This repeal of Biden’s guidance speaks volumes on the current state of Title IX. Although I understand the logistics behind this ruling and the political implications, it concerns me that this will set a dangerous precedent for overall equity in women’s athletics going forward. 

This nullification tells women athletes once again that their athletic ability is not worth equal compensation from their universities, and that is a massive problem. I can’t help but be disappointed in this decision, and quite frankly, it seems to be a step backward. 

The repeal of NIL guidance, as released by the Biden administration, implies that there are grounds for women athletes not to be equally compensated. In the past few years, women’s sports have continued to gain rapid momentum, proving what happens when you invest in women athletes equitably. The current administration’s rescindment blatantly disregards this recent growth.

Title IX regulations require schools to provide equal opportunity based on sex. How do you expect a level playing ground when some male athletes are being paid millions of dollars while several women athletes get paid none? It’s just not realistic. 

As we inch forward toward March, which is also Women’s History Month, I encourage conversation surrounding the idea of legacy in women’s sports — a conversation that not only challenges the current administration’s ruling but also continues to emphasize the triumphs of women’s athletics relentlessly. 

For every government leader who casts aside women’s sports, I hope that somewhere out there, 10 more people do the exact opposite. The way we stand up today will not only determine the protection of Title IX within the next four years but also shape the opportunities for generations of women in sports to come. 

Sloane Morra is a senior giving her opinions and perspectives on current issues in women’s sports through her column “Second Serve,” which runs every other Friday.