By Victoria Mejicanos
AFRO Staff Writer
In 2025 Black athletes gave record-breaking performances while also making historic deals on and off the court. From Jalen Hurts leading the Eagles in a landmark Super Bowl matchup to Coco Gauff capturing her second Grand Slam title, the year provided plenty of highlights. Take a look at some of the top moments in sports from the past 12 months.
1. Marcus Freeman becomes first Black head coach in major NCAA
At the top of the year, Notre Dame’s head football coach Marcus Freeman, became the first Black head coach to make it to the NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship. Notre Dame defeated Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl semifinal game, but fell to Ohio State in the finals on Jan. 20.
2. Two Black quarterbacks shine in Super Bowl LIX
Black excellence took center stage at Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 as the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs squared off at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Patrick Mahomes couldn’t boost the Chiefs to a Super Bowl three-peat. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts led his team to a 40-22 victory. It was only the second time in NFL history that two Black quarterbacks led their teams in the annual matchup, happening first in 2023 when Hurts and Mahomes faced off.
3. Coach Dawn Staley recognized
Coach Dawn Staley, head coach for the women on the University of South Carolina’s basketball team, is an NCAA basketball icon for both the men and women’s divisions. On April 30 she was honored with a statue in Colombia, South Carolina for her achievements as leader of the Lady Gamecocks for 17 years.
Coach Staley’s is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, Hall of Fame player, and one of the winningest coaches in NCAA women’s basketball history. She is the only Black coach in NCAA history—men’s or women’s—with multiple national titles.
4. Coco Gauff wins big
Coco Gauff won her second Grand Slam title on June 7. At only 21, Gauff became the first American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.
4B. Black athletes break records in hockey draft
The National Hockey League (NHL) made history with a record number of Black players being drafted on June 27-28. The NHL drafted more than 20 players of color, including at least 10 Black athletes, making it the most diverse class the league has seen.
Shown here, Kashawn Aitcheson (left), with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the New York Islanders during the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 27, 2025, in Los Angeles.
5. Bubba Wallace makes NASCAR history
Bubba Wallace became the first Black NASCAR driver to win the Brickyard 400, a major race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Wallace won on July 27 despite a late rain delay, two overtimes and concerns over running out of fuel.
6. Noah Lyles makes his mark on international stage
Noah Lyles won his fourth consecutive 200-meter world title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sept. 19. This win, with Lyles running 19.52 seconds, tied Lyles with Usain Bolt’s four-peat from 2009 to 2015.
7. A’ja Wilson keeps scores on and off the court
The Las Vegas Aces capped off their third WNBA championship Oct. 10 with a 97-86 win over host Phoenix Mercury. A’ja Wilson posted 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals. The game also ended a historic WNBA season for Wilson, who became the first WNBA player ever to win the regular-season MVP award, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP award in a single season.
The win came just months after Wilson celebrated a major accomplishment off of the court: the release of The A’One, a shoe designed in partnership with Nike.
8. Mookie Betts
On Oct. 23 Mookie Betts was announced as winner of the 2025 Fielding Bible Award at the shortstop position. Just days later, on Oct. 28, he won the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor reserved for the one MLB player that “best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions both on and off the field,” according to the organization. Betts won the award for his work as founder of 5050 Foundation, an organization aimed at helping youth improve themselves mentally, physically, financially and emotionally.
9. LeBron James makes history
LeBron James began his 23rd NBA season, making his career the official longest in the league’s history on Nov. 18. The previous record of 22 seasons was held by Vince Carter. James, 40, had been sidelined since the start of training camp due to issues with sciatica, keeping him out of the preseason and the Lakers’ first 14 games of the regular season. His first game of the season ended in victory with a 140-126 win over the Utah Jazz.
10. Mo’ne Davis chosen in first draft for the Women’s Pro Baseball League
The Women’s Pro Baseball league held its first draft ever on Nov. 20, with Los Angeles drafting Mo’ne Davis 10th overall. Davis beat out 600 women from 10 countries for a spot on the team. She rose to fame when she pitched for the Taney Dragons in Philadelphia and is the first Little League player to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
11. Michael Jordan wins lawsuit against NASCAR
After a 15-month legal fight, Michael Jordan and the race car team he co-owns, 23XI, have settled out of court in a lawsuit filed against NASCAR. The sports legend, along with another team, Front Row Motorsports, accused the professional car racing organization of operating a monopoly.