She changed her baby, then won gold. A generation of athletes are thriving in motherhood

June 18, 2026

Katie Lou Samuelson was about to compete for a gold medal, but her 3-month-old daughter didn’t know that. And when babies gotta go, they go.

So minutes before Samuelson and the United States 3×3 basketball team took the court for the 2023 FIBA AmeriCup gold-medal game in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Samuelson frantically searched for wipes to clean and change her daughter.

“I put her diaper on and fixed everything and five minutes later was on the court and we won the gold-medal game,” Samuelson said. “That’s something you’d never think you’re navigating. Then it just becomes so normal.”

It’s more normal now than ever. Samuelson, a five-year WNBA veteran who plays for the Seattle Storm, is among a growing number of professional athletes who are also moms.

This month, 44-year-old mother of two Serena Williams returned to professional tennis. Soccer stars Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson rejoined the U.S. women’s national team for the first time since they both gave birth in fall 2025. USA TODAY