On XX Day, created by Riley Gaines to celebrate real women, XX-XY Athletics named Colorado Christian University softball catcher Kendall Kotzmacher its newest Courage Wins Champion.
The brand is also expanding Courage Wins beyond student athletes with its first programmatic investment in TrailBlazeHer, the nonprofit founded by six-time Olympic medalist Kaillie Humphries to support female athletes through competition, motherhood and beyond.
“Brave female athletes need a brand in their corner and examples of athletes who stand up for their boundaries,” said Jennifer Sey, founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics. “And bravery doesn’t end in college. Neither does women’s athleticism. Investing in TrailBlazeHer honors the full arc of a female athlete’s life: competition, motherhood and beyond.”
Courage Wins Champion: Kendall Kotzmacher
Kendall Kotzmacher is a catcher for Colorado Christian University and an outspoken advocate for protecting sex-based categories in women’s sports.
Her advocacy began after her senior softball season at White Bear Lake High School in Minnesota. In the 2025 Class AAAA state semifinal, White Bear Lake faced Champlin Park, whose pitcher was a transgender athlete. White Bear Lake lost 3–2, ending Kendall’s pursuit of a state championship alongside her younger sister.
“I lost a championship I earned the right to chase,” Kendall says. “I will not lose my voice.”
After graduating, Kendall began speaking publicly about her experience despite receiving hate messages and threats. She submitted written testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for its “Standing Up for Women in Sports” hearing and spoke publicly in support of sex-based categories in school athletics.
She also coaches young softball players and hopes her advocacy encourages other girls to speak up for themselves.
“I really want to be that person that girls can look up to and see that it’s okay to speak up when things are wrong and that we should not be silenced,” she says.
Investing in Kaillie Humphries’ TrailBlazeHer
XX-XY Athletics is also extending its support of female athletes through an investment in TrailBlazeHer, founded by Olympic bobsled champion Kaillie Humphries and her husband, Travis.
Kaillie is a six-time Olympic medalist and three-time gold medalist. After giving birth to her son in 2024, she returned to elite competition 18 months later and won two medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
TrailBlazeHer helps female athletes share their stories, cover the financial costs of pursuing elite competition and navigate starting families while continuing their athletic careers.
Learn more about TrailBlazeHer.
About Courage Wins
Courage Wins recognizes female athletes who have taken consequential stands for fairness, equal opportunity or safety in women’s sports across the high school, collegiate, professional and Olympic levels.
The Courage Wins Award provides financial support and access to a leadership program designed to elevate athlete voices and reduce the financial consequences athletes may face when speaking publicly.
Seventeen athletes have received the honor to date, including Brooke Slusser, Lauren Miller, Payton McNabb, Emmy Salerno, Stephanie Turner, Sia Liilii, Reese Eckard, Maddie Eischen, Sophia Carpenter, Sophia Castañeda, Alexa Anderson, Alyssa McPherson, Madison McPherson, Hadeel Hazameh, Frances Staudt, Ahnaleigh Wilson and Sadie Sullivan.
A portion of every XX-XY Athletics sale goes to the XX-XY Athletics Fund, a charitable vehicle supporting initiatives including the Courage Wins Award.
Learn more about the Courage Wins initiative and XX-XY Athletics Fund.
