The Divine Nine, formally known as the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), comprises nine historically Black Greek-letter organizations that play an essential role in fostering leadership, service, and excellence in African American communities. Among their esteemed members are trailblazing women who have not only excelled in their respective sports but also embodied their sororities’ values of sisterhood, scholarship, and service.
Here, we celebrate some of the most iconic female athletes who proudly represent Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. These women have left lasting legacies both on and off the field, court, or track.
Famous Female Athletes in The Divine Nine was originally published on hotspotatl.com
1. Swin Cash – Delta Sigma Theta
Recently named to Delta Sigma Theta’s 2025 honorary class, Cash is a three-time WNBA champion, four-time WNBA All-Star, and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. She has also served as Senior VP of Basketball Operations & Team Development for the New Orleans Pelicans and is the Founder/CEO of She’s Got Time, a lifestyle and media company focused on building holistic support systems for women in sports.
2. Sheryl Swoopes – Sigma Gamma Rho
Initiated as a 2025 honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho, Swoopes was the first player ever signed to the WNBA, becoming a 3x league MVP and being among the top 15 WNBA players of all time. Her list of accomplishments includes a WNBA championship, FIBA World Cup gold medal, three Olympic gold medals, and an NCAA championship.
3. Althea Gibson – Alpha Kappa Alpha
An initiate of AKA’s Beta Alpha chapter at FAMU, Gibson broke racial barriers by becoming the first African American to win a Grand Slam title in 1956, followed by consecutive wins at Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals (now the U.S. Open).
4. Perri Shakes-Drayton – Zeta Phi Beta
Shakes-Drayton, a 2024 honorary initiate, is a retired British track & field athlete who has won a 2013 European Indoor Championship in the 400m and a gold medal in the 4x400m relay at the 2012 World Indoor Championships. She has also contributed significantly to charities such as Tommy’s The Baby Charity and the GLL Sport Foundation.
5. Lisa Leslie – Alpha Kappa Alpha
Leslie, a 2021 honorary initiate of AKA, transformed women’s basketball with her skill, athleticism, and leadership. She is a 2x WNBA champion, 4x Olympic gold medalist, and 3x league MVP. In fact, she’s the first WNBA player to win regular season, All-Star, and finals MVP honors in a single season.
6. Jackie Joyner-Kersee – Delta Sigma Theta
Another 2025 honorary member, Joyner-Kersee is a 6x Olympic medalist who still holds the record in heptathlon, set at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Named the “Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century” by Sports Illustrated, she showed her commitment to the community and youth development through her work with Athletes for Hope and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation.
7. Rhyne Howard – Zeta Phi Beta
Howard, an initiate of the Iota Mu chapter at the University of Kentucky, was drafted first overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2022 WNBA draft. She was named WNBA’s Rookie of the Year, averaging 16.8 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals in her first year. She would go on to be a 3x All-Star, a gold medalist in the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup, and a bronze medalist in 3×3 Basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
8. Carmelita Jeter – Sigma Gamma Rho
A retired sprinter who competed in the 60m, 100m, and 200m, Jeter was known as the “fastest woman alive” after running a personal best of 10.64 seconds at the 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix. Winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics and three gold medals in the World Championships, she is the fourth fastest woman ever in the 100m race.
9. A’ja Wilson – Alpha Kappa Alpha
Wilson, an initiate of the Theta Gamma chapter at the University of South Carolina, had a stellar collegiate career, leading the Gamecocks to their first NCAA championship in 2017. A top pick by the Las Vegas Aces in the 2018 WNBA draft, she would go on to become a 2x WNBA champion, 3x league MVP, 7x All-Star, and 2x Olympic gold medalist.
10. Wilma Rudolph – Delta Sigma Theta
Initiated through the Alpha Chi chapter at Tennessee State University, Rudolph was the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games (Rome, 1960) in track and field. Nicknamed “The Tornado,” she overcame physical challenges such as polio and scarlet fever in her youth to become a global inspiration and a forceful advocate for women and equality.
