2025 USA’s Top 10 Female Athletes (10-6)
As we count down the top 10 female U.S. athletes of the year, we take a closer look at the women making their mark in sports in 2025. Through performances at world championships and the Diamond League circuit, these athletes have demonstrated consistency, composure and the ability to perform on the biggest stages.
Here are our rankings from 10-6
10. Sandy Morris (Pole Vault)
Sandy Morris’ 2025 season felt like a steady return to the center of the sport she’s helped shape for more than a decade. It started in the Diamond League, where he found form and confidence again. Morris picked up his first Diamond League win in three years in Rome in early June. Weeks later in Stockholm, he built on that momentum, clearing a season’s best 4.82m to win again after recovering from early misses and holding his nerve against a strong field.
Summer continued to reward her persistence. At the U.S. Championships in Eugene, Morris won her fifth national title by clearing 4.83m and cementing her spot on the team after missing the Olympic team a year ago.
In Zurich, he finished 2nd in the Diamond League Final, clearing 4.75m in a tight 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 his fourth World Championship silver medal.
What makes Morris special is his staying power. Even deep into his career, he continues to compete with composure, courage and technical precision. That consistency earns her 10th place among the top US women of 2025.
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025 Photo by Kevin Morris
9. Masai Russell (100mH)
Masai Russell got off to a fast start to the year as he had a flawless indoor season that saw him win every indoor race, including the US indoor title. Although she opted not to compete at the World Indoors this year, the Olympic champion was a star attraction on the newly-formed Grand Slam circuit at the start of the outdoor season.
Russell produced speed rarely seen in the women’s 100m hurdles. It really announced itself at the Grand Slam in Miami in May, where she ran 12.17s to set a new American record and become the second fastest woman in history. The race, decided by hundredths, showed her ability to lead under pressure and share the moment in a head-to-head battle with Tia Jones.
He carried that form into the US Championships in Eugene. Over the two rounds, Russell ran 12.25 in the heats and 12.22 in the finals to win the national title, cementing her place as the nation’s top hurdler and earning her a spot at the world championships alongside Grace Stark and Alaisha Johnson.
Tokyo had a tougher ending. Russell won his heat and semi-final by authority, but finished fourth in the final, just missing out on the podium. However, what made his season stand out was the level he reached. Few athletes ever touch history. Russell has done it more than once, and it puts her at No. 9 among the top 2025 US women.
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 her first full season as a professional athlete, she showed she can ruffle feathers with some of the world’s best, as she was the only American to reach the podium in the women’s 100mH at the world championships.
Starc gradually heated up in the outdoor season when he won the Keqiao in May, taking his first career Diamond League win in 12.42 seconds, setting a meet record and beating big names like Daniel Williams and Toby Amusan. More confidence followed. Stark ran a time of 12.33 at another Diamond League stop, then ran a decisive race in Paris, clocking a personal best of 12.21 to earn his third Diamond League win of the year.
Internally, he remained consistent. Stark finished second in the 60m hurdles at the US Indoor Championships and followed that up with a second-place finish behind Masai Russell at the US Outdoor Championships, securing his spot on the world team.
The season reached its climax in Tokyo. Stark ran 12.34 to win bronze at the world championships, the only American on the podium. What made his season stand out was his week-to-week reliability in elite infields, earning him the No. 8 spot on our 2025 rankings.
7. Chase Jackson (shooting)
Chase Jackson’s 2025 season was marked by consistency, strength and the ability to adapt when conditions weren’t ideal. The year began indoors, where he continued his event. At the USA Indoor Championships in Staten Island, Jackson won his third consecutive national title with a throw of 19.65m. Weeks later in Nanjing, he added world bronze with a 20.06m effort, managing a lingering groin injury and adjusting his technique on the fly.
Outside he found another level. At the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene in July, Jackson had one of the biggest throws of the season, throwing 20.94 meters to win and set a meet record. He followed that up with another statement at the US Outdoor Championships, claiming his ninth national title with a winning mark of 20.84m.
The season closed in Tokyo. In a dramatic final at the world championships, Jackson threw 20.21m to win silver, his third consecutive world championship medal. What makes it stand out is the blend of power and coolness it displays at every turn and delivers with reliability. This body of work brings her to the 7th place among the top women of 2025 USA.
6. Kathy Moon (Stick)
Katie Moon’s 2025 season was defined by consistency, experience and the ability to step up in moments that required composure rather than flair. The year began in Staten Island, where Moon won her fifth US indoor pole vault title, clearing 4.80m to secure her seventh national crown overall. It set the tone for a season built on his confidence in the process.
Outside, he carried that confidence into the Diamond League circuit. In Zurich, Moon won the Diamond League final, clearing 4.82m in the street event, ahead of long-time rival Sandi Morris, to cap a year that included nine wins. Their rivalry, forged from more than a decade of rivalry, continued to give the event its edge.
That story reached its climax in Tokyo. On the biggest stage, Moon and Morris traded leads deep into the contest. In her final attempt, Moon cleared 4.90m to win the world title, her third straight gold and second overall.
The moon makes her schedule special. Even in her mid-30s, she finds clarity when the pressure is on. That quality earns her the No. 6 spot on America’s Top Women of 2025.
