Seven Hispanic Athletes to Watch
At TOGETHXR, we’re all about showcasing the diversity that makes women’s sports so compelling. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we wanted to highlight these seven athletes who don’t just excel in their sports — but also provide powerful representation for future generations, showing other athletes that if you can see her, you can be her.
Ashley Sanchez
Sport: Soccer
Team: North Carolina Courage
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Ashley Sanchez is one of the very few Mexican-American athletes to ever play for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Growing up, Sanchez said she often felt like she wasn’t “Mexican enough,” but that changed when she met fellow teammates at UCLA who were also Mexican, and they encouraged her and helped her to embrace her heritage.
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This season, after a challenging trade, Sanchez is on a tear for the North Carolina Courage. She recently became the first player in NWSL history to score a goal against all 14 active teams.
Hezly Rivera
Sport: Gymnastics
Team: Louisiana State University/Team USA
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Hezly Rivera quickly became a household name after earning a spot on the U.S. Gymnastics roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 16-year-old was the youngest athlete to represent Team USA in Paris and while she didn’t participate in the Team finals, Rivera earned a gold medal with the rest of the historic squad. Rivera’s journey is just beginning, as she recently committed to Louisiana State University (LSU) for collegiate gymnastics.
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“I just want to help the community grow…I just want Latinas to be able to look up to me and be like I want to be like her when I grow up.”
Melanie "Mel" Barcenas
Sport: Soccer
Team: San Diego Wave
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Mel Barcenas made “waves” when she became the youngest player in the NWSL after she signed with the San Diego Wave at just 15 years old. The San Diego native started playing soccer at five and fell in love with the game, training with her brother Xzavier and eventually attending Mexico’s U17 training camps. Barcenas recently scored the first goal of her NWSL career and is the youngest player to record an assist in NWSL history.
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“I am hoping that I can pave the way so that young girls who are Latina can have someone to look up to and relate to in soccer…It keeps pushing me to continue to work hard.”
Anita Alvarez
Sport: Artistic Swimming
Team: Team USA
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Anita Alvarez’s road to the Paris Olympics this summer was anything but smooth. In a 2023 competition, Alvarez passed out and sank underwater. After being pulled to safety, Alvarez questioned whether she could compete again. After working with doctors and training extensively, Alvarez returned to the pool and, eventually, competition.
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This summer, Alvarez made her third trip to the Olympics; this time, she brought a silver medal home from the pool. Team USA’s silver medal performance in Paris marked the first artistic swimming medal for the U.S. in twenty years.
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“Latinas in the US are definitely underrepresented in an aquatic sport like artistic swimming…So, to be able to represent the Latina community and for young girls to be able to look up to me and see that they can do it as well is super special.”
Lou Lopez Sénéchal
Sport: Basketball
Team: Dallas Wings
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Lou Lopez Sénéchal has had her fair share of cultural experiences. She lived in Guadalajara, Mexico, for the first five years of her life before moving to France, and then to Ireland for high school. Lopez Sénéchal then ventured to the U.S. for college basketball, where she played at Fairfield and the University of Connecticut.
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In 2023, Lopez Sénéchal made history by becoming the first Mexican-born player drafted into the WNBA. Lopez Senechal missed the 2023 season due to injury but made her debut for the Dallas Wings this year, appearing in 27 games. When asked about her historic draft selection, Lopez Sénéchal said, “It meant a lot, I hope not to be the only one.”
Beatriz Hatz
Sport: Para Track and Field
Team: Team USA
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Beatriz Hatz was born without a fibula bone in her leg, leading to an amputation early on in her life — but that didn’t stop Hatz from playing just about every sport possible. Hatz competed in softball, basketball, karate, skiing, and more but has excelled in Para Track and Field. At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Hatz earned a bronze medal in the T64 long jump. After her bronze-worthy jump, Hatz commemorated the achievement by celebrating both her American and Mexican heritage.
Kennedy Blades
Sport: Wrestling
Team: University of Iowa/Team USA
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Kennedy Blades, who is Black, Mexican, and Honduran, started wrestling at seven years old. 2024 has been a big year for Blades, who committed to the University of Iowa in July and made her Olympic debut shortly after that. Blades won the silver medal in the 76kg weight class at the Paris Games and will make her Hawkeye debut this season.
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“I didn’t really see a lot of Latina girls when I grew up watching the Olympics, which is one of the biggest events in history…Now, when I go to tournaments and these little girls come up to me and say, ‘We’re the same color,’ I think that’s awesome.”
