National audiences are catching up with a topic you might already know: the popularity of women’s sports. According to Nielsen Ratings, women’s sports, ranging from the NCAA Basketball Tournament to the WNBA to the Women’s World Cup, have seen viewership rise over 40 percent year-over-year. Wisconsin volleyball and Green Bay Phoenix basketball have also seen their popularity increase along with their success. The attention being paid to women’s athletics is nothing new for Luxemburg-Casco volleyball coach Jeff Frey. He has seen bigger crowds at volleyball matches and more participants in their camps since the Spartans started their current run of success in 2017. Frey does not expect it to slow down soon.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, girls’ participation in high school sports continues to rebound from the pandemic, with over 7.857 million participants. It had been as high as 7.98 million for the 2017-18 school year. Earlier this year, the NCAA celebrated 50 years of Title IX, which allowed women the same opportunities as men in athletics.