Ducks to Host Inaugural Women in Sports Night Saturday at Honda Center

The Ducks will host the inaugural Women in Sports Night at Honda Center on Saturday, Jan. 28 before the Ducks face off against the Arizona Coyotes at 7:30 p.m. In honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (Feb. 1) and International Women's Day (Mar. 8), the Ducks will celebrate trailblazers in women and girls' sports, with the goal of inspiring the next generation of athletes and leaders in the community. As part of Women in Sports Night, the Ducks will raise awareness and funds for Girl Scouts of Orange County through the Anaheim Ducks Foundation.

Starting at 4 p.m., the Ducks will host an all-female Women in Sports Business and Leadership panel discussion featuring a star-studded line-up of inspiring women, from Olympic gold medalists to trailblazers in the sports industry. Panelists include ESPN's longest-tenured SportsCenter anchor and Hall of Fame sportscaster Linda Cohn, three-time Olympic gold medalist and USA Volleyball Hall of Famer, Misty May-Treanor, Co-Founder and President of Angel City Football Club (ACFC), Julie Uhrman and Women's College World Series National champion and the youngest commissioner in American professional sports, Lauren Chamberlain. The panel will be moderated by 3x Emmy award-winning sports broadcaster and Ducks' rink side reporter, Aly Lozoff. Jillian Samueli-Reddin, the San Diego Gulls Director of Hockey Operations, will host the event. In celebration of Women in Sports Night, the panelists will participate in the ceremonial puck drop prior to the Ducks vs. Coyotes game.
The sold-out Women in Sports Business and Leadership panel will be immediately followed by a speed mentorship networking event, giving young professionals in attendance the opportunity to connect and receive personalized career advice from over 30 female mentors currently working in the sports industry. The line-up of mentors represents numerous organizations including the Anaheim Ducks, Angel City FC, Bally Sports, Cal Poly Pomona, ESPN, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Dodgers, NFL, NHL, ocV!BE, Peak Performance Training, San Diego Gulls, San Diego Wave FC, Soka University of America and Upper Deck. Gina Galasso, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at ocV!BE, will serve as the host for the speed mentorship event.
The Women in Sports Business and Leadership panel discussion and speed mentorship networking event will be held at Brewery X Biergarten at Honda Center. Check-in for the event will begin at 3:45 p.m. with the panel set to begin promptly at 4 p.m. and conclude at 5:30 p.m. The speed mentorship event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and conclude at 7 p.m.
During the first intermission of the game, Misty May-Treanor and Lauren Chamberlain will participate in an autograph session and meet-and-greet opportunity for fans. Additionally, Annie Pankowski, the first California born and trained female ice hockey player to make the U.S. Women's National Team and a three-time finalist for Collegiate Ice Hockey Player of the Year as well as Jessica Hardy, a former Olympic swimmer who earned a gold and bronze medal while representing the United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics will participate in the autograph session. The autograph session and meet-and-greet opportunity will be available to the first 100 fans in line and is subject to change.
Ducks players will take part in the festivities by donning special jerseys during the pregame warm-up. The warm-up jerseys and Women in Sports logo were designed by Ducks Senior Graphic Designer, Amanda Le. The warm-up jerseys and other limited-edition Women in Sports themed merchandise will be available for purchase in the Ducks Team Store and online. Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to view a variety of medals, trophies and memorabilia won by female athletes in attendance at the Team Store display window.
Ducks' owner Susan Samueli will take part in an on-ice pregame ceremony to present the team's Community Hero award to local Girl Scout Gabrielle Decuir for her Sports & STEM related Gold Award project. A Girl Scouts information booth will be located at the Puck Drop Patio educating Ducks fans about Girl Scouts of Orange County. Joining the Ducks on the blue line during the National Anthem and as the Blue Line Buddies will be the 10U Lady Ducks girls' youth hockey team. In honor of Women in Sports Night, 17-year-old Ainsley Savant will sing the National Anthem. During the game, Ducks broadcaster Alexis Downie will serve as the between-the-benches audio analyst on Ducks Stream. Additionally, DJ Crystal Perez will make her in-game DJ debut for Women in Sports Night and Ally Kay will serve as the in-arena host.
Christina Zambrana, a Southern California native, will serve as the Honorary Duck for Women in Sports Night and has been a Ducks fan since 2004. Zambrana played collegiate softball at Arizona State University and was a part of the Women's College World Series National Championship team in 2011. In 2022, Christina was diagnosed with Stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), which is a form of breast cancer. She is currently undergoing treatment as her fight and battle continue. Zambrana will sit in the penalty box during the Ducks pregame warm-up.
The Ducks will hold an in-game auction featuring a variety of sports memorabilia donated from numerous organizations in addition to select player-worn Women in Sports warm-up jerseys. All proceeds raised during the Anaheim Ducks Women in Sports Night auction will benefit Girl Scouts of Orange County whose mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The auction will begin on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. PT and close at 9:30 p.m. PT. To place a bid or donate, text DUCKS to 76278 or visit
AnaheimDucks.com/InGameAuctions
.
Fans will have the opportunity to network with representatives from Golden Road Brewing's Women in Beer committee at the Go Mango bar located near section 210 at the TCL entrance during the 1st and 2nd intermissions. The Golden Road Women in Beer committee aims to cultivate an inclusive environment that supports and encourages women to advance their skills and leadership potential through discussions, mentorship, and community. They are focused on championing gender inclusion and equality to drive change in the alcohol industry and beyond. This special group serves as a forum for women and their allies locally at Golden Road Brewing to elevate their voice and foster a supportive and collaborative community. Golden Road Brewing was co-founded by former collegiate athlete and Orange County resident, Meg Gill.
On Sunday, Jan. 29, the Women in Sports celebration will continue at Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena beginning at noon with a Women's Try Hockey for Free session followed by a Girls' Hockey Skills Clinic at 1 p.m. Olympic ice hockey player, Keely Moy, will lead both clinics. Moy represented Switzerland during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in addition to playing collegiately for Harvard University (2017- 22). Former Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf will be in attendance as a guest coach during the Girls' Hockey Skills Clinic. An autograph session with Moy and Getzlaf will follow the Girls' Hockey Clinic and is open to clinic attendees only.
For fans interested in attending the Ducks' inaugural Women in Sports Night on Saturday, Jan. 28, tickets for the game are available for purchase at
AnaheimDucks.com/WISNight
.