Strength beyond the game: UC Merced to host leadership summit for female student athletes.
UC Merced is hosting a one-day summit titled “Together We Will” for female high school athletes designed to blend learning, mentorship and inspiring conversation. The hope is to inspire and empower young women athletes in the Central Valley.
The event will be held on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at UC Merced. Some of the guest speakers include Victoria Garrick Browne, who is a founder, speaker and mental health advocate and Danielle Slaton, who is an Olympian, broadcaster and co-founder of Bay FC.
“‘Together We Will’ brings together accomplished speakers, mentors, and leaders for the first-of-its-kind leadership summit for female student-athletes in the Central Valley, designed to inspire and support young women both in sports and in life,” said UC Merced Assistant Director of Athletics & Senior Women Administrator Nancye Rahn. “The summit is intentionally designed to create a space where female student-athletes feel celebrated, supported, and connected to one another while gaining practical tools they can use immediately in competition, the classroom, and beyond.”
Throughout the day the student athletes will engage in interactive sessions focused on building confidence, developing leadership skills and learning strategies to thrive under pressure, according to Rahn. They will delve into topics like mental wellness, injury prevention and recovery, nutrition for performance, managing competition stress, leadership and personal growth.
This one-day event is open to all MUHSD female athletes and all female high school athletes around the Central Valley. Early this week there were 60 athletes already registered for the event with event organizers hoping to see 275 athletes attend this first year.
“An event like this in Merced to help empower female athletes is an incredible opportunity for young women, one I wish I had growing up,” said Golden Valley girls soccer coach Ashley Faraone. “Being a student athlete is challenging these days and to hear from guest speakers and collaborate with other high school aged students can help work through barriers together. I’d encourage all MUHSD female athletes to attend to also share the great things they are doing in our community.”
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the UC Merced campus. Admission is free and advanced registration required. Athletes can sign up at UC Merced Together. Attendees will receive a free lunch, exclusive “Together We Will” swag, and giveaways. Advanced registration is required and will close once maximum capacity of 275 athletes is reached.
“The ‘Together We Will’ symposium started with a vision from our Athletic Director, Dave Dunham, who wanted to bring a meaningful development opportunity to high school female athletes in the Central Valley,” Rahn said. “He saw a need for greater access to mentorship, leadership training, and inspiration for young women in our region. Dave shared that vision with partners in External Affairs and members of the Board of Trustees who threw their support behind the initiative.”
Shawn Jansen is the MUHSD Program Manager Digital Media. He can be reached at Sjansen@muhsd.org.