by Deji Ogeyingbo
Top 10 US Female Athletes of the Year 2025 (10-6)
As we count down the Top 10 U.S. female athletes of the year, we take a closer look at the women who made their mark on the sport in 2025. Through performances at the World Championships and across the Diamond League circuit, these athletes showed consistency, composure, and an ability to perform on the biggest stages.
Here’s our ranking from 10-6
10. Sandi Morris (Pole Vault)
Sandi Morris’ 2025 season felt like a steady return to the center of the sport she has helped shape for more than a decade. It began on the Diamond League circuit, where she found form and confidence again. In Rome in early June, Morris claimed her first Diamond League win in three years. Weeks later in Stockholm, she built on that momentum, clearing a season’s best 4.82m to win again after surviving early misses and holding her nerve against a strong field.
The summer continued to reward her persistence. At the U.S. Championships in Eugene, Morris won her fifth outdoor national title, clearing 4.83m and confirming her place on the team after missing the Olympic squad the year before.
In Zurich, she finished second at the Diamond League Final, clearing 4.75m in a tightly contested competition. That set the stage for Tokyo. At the World Championships, Morris delivered when it counted, clearing 4.85m to earn silver behind teammate Katie Moon. It marked her fourth World Championship Silver medal.
What makes Morris special is her staying power. Even deep into her career, she continues to compete with calm, courage, and technical precision. That consistency earns her the No. 10 spot among the top U.S. women of 2025.
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris
9. Masai Russell (100mH)
Masai Russell started the year on a bang as she had a flawless indoor season that saw her win all indoor races, including the US indoor title. Although she opted not to compete at the World Indoors this year, the Olympic champion was the star attraction in the newly formed Grand Slam track in the early part of the outdoor season.
Russell built speed rarely seen in the women’s 100m hurdles. It truly announced itself in May at the Grand Slam Track meet in Miami, where she ran 12.17s, setting a new American record and becoming the second-fastest woman in history. The race, decided by hundredths, showed her ability to deliver under pressure and share the moment in a head-to-head finish with Tia Jones.
She carried that form into the U.S. Championships in Eugene. Over two rounds, Russell ran 12.25 in the heats and 12.22 in the final to win the national title, confirming her place as the country’s leading hurdler and earning selection for the World Championships team alongside Grace Stark and Alaysha Johnson.
Tokyo brought a tougher ending. Russell won her heat and semifinal with authority but finished fourth in the final, narrowly missing the podium. Even so, what made her season special was the level she reached. Few athletes ever touch history. Russell did it more than once, and that earns her the No. 9 spot among the top U.S. women of 2025.
Miramar, Florida, USA
May 2-4, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris
8. Grace Stark (100mH)
Grace Stark was the epitome of consistency in 2025. In what was her first full season as a professional athlete, she showed she can ruffle feathers with some of the very best in the world, as she was the only American to get on the podium in the women’s 100mH at the world championships
Stark warmed up gradually into the outdoor season as she won in Keqiao in May, claiming her first career Diamond League win in 12.42s, setting a meet record, and beating established names like Danielle Williams and Tobi Amusan. More confidence followed. Stark ran 12.33 at another Diamond League stop, then delivered a defining race in Paris, clocking a personal best of 12.21 to earn her third Diamond League victory of the year.
Domestically, she stayed consistent. Stark finished second at the U.S. Indoor Championships in the 60m hurdles and followed that with another runner-up finish at the U.S. Outdoor Championships behind Masai Russell, securing her place on the world team.
The season reached its peak in Tokyo. Stark ran 12.34 to win bronze at the World Championships, the only American on the podium. What made her season special was her week-to-week reliability against elite fields, earning her the No. 8 spot in our 2025 rankings.
7. Chase Jackson (Shot Put)
Chase Jackson’s 2025 season was marked by consistency, power, and the ability to adapt when conditions were not ideal. The year began indoors, where she continued her hold on the event. At the U.S. Indoor Championships in Staten Island, Jackson won her third straight national indoor title with a throw of 19.65m. Weeks later in Nanjing, she added a world indoor bronze with a 20.06m effort, doing so while managing a lingering groin injury and adjusting her technique on the fly.
Outdoors, she found another level. In July at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Jackson delivered one of the biggest throws of the season, launching the shot 20.94m to win and set a meet record. She followed that with another statement at the U.S. Outdoor Championships, claiming her ninth national title with a winning mark of 20.84m.
The season closed in Tokyo. In a dramatic final round at the World Championships, Jackson threw 20.21m to earn silver, her third consecutive World Championship medal. What makes her special is her blend of strength and composure, showing up at every stage and delivering with reliability. That body of work earns her the No. 7 spot among the top U.S. women of 2025.
6. Katie Moon (Pole Vault)
Katie Moon’s 2025 season was defined by steadiness, experience, and an ability to rise in moments that demanded calm more than flair. The year began indoors in Staten Island, where Moon claimed her fifth U.S. indoor pole vault title, clearing 4.80m to secure her seventh national crown overall. It set the tone for a season built on trust in her process.
Outdoors, she carried that confidence onto the Diamond League circuit. In Zurich, Moon won the Diamond League Final, clearing 4.82m at the street event to edge longtime rival Sandi Morris and cap a year that included nine victories. Their rivalry, shaped by more than a decade of competition, continued to give the event its edge.
That story reached its peak in Tokyo. On the biggest stage, Moon and Morris traded leads deep into the competition. On her final attempt, Moon cleared 4.90m to win the world title, her third consecutive gold and second overall championship victory.
What makes Moon special is her timing. Even into her mid-30s, she finds clarity when pressure builds. That quality earns her the No. 6 spot among the top U.S. women of 2025.
