Female Coaches in US Sports: Who’s Leading and Who’s Lagging?

A decade ago, female coaches made up less than 1% in some major US leagues. Today, that number is rising, but the pace of progress tells a tale of stark contrasts.

Some leagues are setting the standard, while others are lagging far behind.

Wetten.com looked at the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL over the past ten years to see who’s leading, who’s catching up, and where there’s still room to grow.

Key Findings

Leagues ranked by absolute growth in female coaching representation (2014–2024):

1. NBA: Grew from 1 coach in 2014 to 10 in 2024 (+12%).
2. NFL: Increased from 1 coach in 2015 to 15 in 2024 (+3%).
3. NHL: Rose from 0 coaches in 2020 to 1 in 2024 (+2%).
4. MLB: Grew from 1 coach in 2020 to 4 in 2024 (+1,5%).

League-by-League Breakdown

Basketball (NBA) // Leading the Charge

• 2014: 1 female assistant coach (3% of all coaches).
• 2021: 10 female assistant coaches (15%).
• 2024: Representation remains steady at 15%.

Key milestone: Becky Hammon became the first full-time female assistant coach in 2014, setting the standard for inclusivity.

Growth insight: A 12% rise in 10 years highlights the NBA’s commitment to gender diversity.

Football (NFL) // Steady but Slow Progress

The number of female coaches in the NFL has grown steadily since 2015, increasing by 3% – from 1 coach in 2015 to 15 in 2024.

• 2015: 1 female coach (<1% of all coaches).
• 2021: 12 female coaches (3%).
• 2024: 15 female coaches (4%).

Key milestone: Jen Welter became the first female coaching intern in 2015, sparking change.

Growth insight: A 3% increase over nine years reflects slower yet steady progress in a male-dominated league.

Hockey (NHL) // Taking Baby Steps

PHOTO: Wetten

The number of female coaches in the NHL has increased from 0 in 2020 to 1 in 2024, marking a 2% growth in representation.

• 2020: 0 female coaches.
• 2024: 1 female assistant coach (2% of all coaches).

Key milestone: Jessica Campbell became the first on-bench female assistant coach in 2024.

Growth insight: A 2% rise shows that the NHL is just starting to explore gender inclusivity.

Baseball (MLB) – Breaking into tradition

The number of female coaches in MLB has quadrupled since 2020, growing by 1% – from just 1 coach in 2020 to 4 in 2024.

• 2020: 1 female coach (<1% of all coaches).
• 2023: 4 female coaches (2%).
• 2024: Representation holds steady at 2%.

Key milestone: Alyssa Nakken became the first female MLB coach in 2020, marking a turning point.

Growth insight: Though small (1,5% rise in four years), MLB’s progress is hindered by traditional norms.

The analysis paints a mixed picture of progress in female representation across major US sports leagues. The NBA is clearly running laps around the competition, while the NFL, MLB, and NHL seem to be jogging (or maybe just stretching) toward inclusivity.

The trends show that progress is happening, albeit at varying speeds, leaving plenty of room for improvement and a few wake-up calls along the way.

Methodology

We analyzed female coaching representation in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL using data from league announcements and reports.

Focusing on each league’s progress from an “initial year” to the most recent “latest year,” we calculated the percentage of female coaches relative to the total coaching staff.

The “Total % Increase” metric reflects growth over time, allowing cross-league comparisons.

Key milestones, such as the first female hires, were noted to highlight each league’s journey toward gender inclusivity.

PHOTO: Wetten