DALLAS, October 30, 2025 — Cardiovascular disease remains the most pervasive and deadly health threat facing women in the United States today. Responsible for claiming over 440,000 female lives annually, heart disease surpasses all forms of cancer combined as the leading cause of death among women. This disturbing reality highlights a critical gap in public health awareness and clinical care. As scientific research advances our understanding of cardiovascular health, renewed efforts are imperative to reduce preventable deaths. The American Heart Association (AHA) stands at the forefront of this battle, pioneering initiatives to catalyze systemic change through education, advocacy, and community engagement.
In a groundbreaking collaboration, nineteen head coaches of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s basketball programs have united to champion cardiovascular health awareness through the Hearts on the Court Collective. Spearheaded by Kim Mulkey, a revered basketball hall of fame coach at Louisiana State University, this collective aims not only to disseminate knowledge about heart disease prevention but also to empower women — from collegiate athletes to everyday fans — to take an active role in their cardiovascular wellness. This emerging alliance underscores the profound intersection between sport, health education, and community influence in shaping public attitudes towards heart health.
Cardiovascular disease’s outsized impact on women reflects numerous systemic challenges. Women remain underrepresented in clinical trials, which has historically hindered the development of female-specific diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols. This underrepresentation contributes to frequent misdiagnosis and undertreatment, as cardiovascular symptoms in women can present differently than in men. Moreover, disparities exist in emergency responses; women are statistically less likely to receive life-saving bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during cardiac events. Addressing these multifaceted barriers requires targeted public health strategies, medical education reforms, and community-led advocacy movements, which organizations like the AHA are actively advancing.
Through its distinguished Go Red for Women® campaign, the American Heart Association has spent over two decades fostering greater awareness of cardiovascular risk factors in women. This movement serves as a vital platform for health literacy and empowerment, encouraging women to recognize early warning signs and to become advocates for their own care. The Hearts on the Court Collective represents a novel extension of this mission, as influential NCAA coaches amplify these messages to a demographic poised for lifelong impact – young female athletes. By leveraging their leadership and credibility, these coaches are uniquely positioned to inspire a culture of proactive cardiovascular health management.
The Collective’s strategy includes the dissemination of a series of public service announcements throughout the women’s college basketball season. These communications promote comprehensive risk awareness framed around Life’s Essential 8™ for Women — a scientifically grounded framework identifying the eight core factors influencing cardiovascular health: blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar regulation, nutrition quality, physical activity, tobacco abstinence, and sleep hygiene. By addressing these interconnected components of health, the initiative advocates for holistic lifestyle modification as the most effective means of altering disease trajectories at the population level.
Recognizing the dynamic nature of women’s cardiovascular risk, the campaign places substantial emphasis on how unique physiological life stages influence heart health. Events such as pregnancy, with complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, as well as menopause-induced hormonal shifts, significantly modulate cardiovascular risk profiles. These transitional phases necessitate tailored vigilance and interventions, underscoring the importance of personalized medicine approaches in cardiovascular care. Elevating public comprehension of these nuances empowers women and healthcare providers to implement timely screenings and preventive measures.
The significance of the Hearts on the Court Collective is further entrenched in its diverse roster of NCAA head coaches who embody leadership and mentorship. Hailing from top-tier institutions such as University of Georgia, University of Michigan, UCLA, and University of Kentucky, these coaches integrate heart health advocacy into their roles far beyond athletics. Their involvement translates to increased reach across varied geographies and communities, fostering a broad cultural shift in how cardiovascular disease is perceived and addressed. Their unified voice represents a powerful antidote to the apathy and misinformation that have historically stalled progress.
Beyond awareness, the initiative aligns with the American Heart Association’s mission to bridge gaps in clinical care and research. Cardiovascular disease remains inadequately managed in women due to entrenched biases and a lack of gender-specific data. Recent advancements in cardiovascular medicine have underscored the necessity of sex-specific risk assessment tools and treatment algorithms. The Collective’s outreach serves to underscore these advances while advocating for systemic changes to ensure equitable care. By melding grassroots advocacy with scientific innovation, this campaign exemplifies a model for addressing complex health disparities.
Statistics remain stark yet hopeful. Nearly half of adult women over 20 in the U.S. live with some form of cardiovascular condition, yet only approximately 50 percent acknowledge heart disease as their leading health risk. This disconnect between prevalence and perception demonstrates a critical failure in public health messaging. The involvement of trusted figures such as NCAA coaches, combined with evidence-based educational materials from the AHA, offers a promising mechanism to recalibrate public consciousness. Enhanced awareness, in turn, encourages early intervention, mitigates risk factors, and ultimately reduces morbidity and mortality rates.
Heart disease’s preventability places immense responsibility on both individuals and healthcare institutions. The American Heart Association asserts that roughly 80 percent of heart attacks and strokes could be averted through lifestyle changes and clinical interventions. This statistic not only quantifies the potential impact of preventative medicine but also signals an urgent imperative for scalable, effective public health campaigns. By integrating cardiovascular education into sporting environments, which traditionally celebrate endurance, strength, and resilience, the Hearts on the Court Collective innovatively connects athletic excellence with long-term health stewardship.
The Go Red for Women® initiative remains a centerpiece of the American Heart Association’s efforts, cultivating a multilayered platform that synthesizes advocacy, education, and support. As the nation’s foremost campaign dedicated to women’s heart health, it empowers individuals to take charge of their cardiovascular futures through personalized risk assessment, informed decision-making, and supportive community networks. The synergy created by coupling this established platform with NCAA women’s basketball leadership accelerates engagement and galvanizes a new generation toward sustainable heart health.
Looking forward, the continued collaboration between medical institutions, advocacy organizations, and influential figures in society—like NCAA coaches—will shape the trajectory of cardiovascular disease prevention in women. Investment in research, increased representation in clinical trials, and refining educational frameworks are fundamental to this progress. The American Heart Association’s Hearts on the Court Collective exemplifies how strategic partnerships can catalyze this evolution, leveraging both scientific rigor and cultural influence to address one of the most significant public health challenges of our time.
To explore resources and support programs for women’s heart health, individuals are encouraged to visit the official portal GoRedforWomen.org, a hub for evidence-based information, community engagement, and empowerment tools. The urgency and scale of this public health issue demand active participation from all sectors of society. The concerted efforts embodied in initiatives like the Hearts on the Court Collective herald a future where preventable cardiovascular tragedies among women are dramatically reduced, reshaping the health landscape for generations to come.
Subject of Research: Cardiovascular disease awareness and prevention in women, with emphasis on public health advocacy and NCAA women’s basketball coaches’ role.
Article Title: NCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Unite to Combat Cardiovascular Disease in Women Through Hearts on the Court Collective
News Publication Date: October 30, 2025
Web References:
- https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease
- https://professional.heart.org/-/media/phd-files-2/science-news/2/2025-heart-and-stroke-stat-update/factsheets/2025-stats-update-fact-sheet-women-and-cvd.pdf
- https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/know-your-risk/lifes-essential-8-for-women
- http://www.goredforwomen.org
- http://www.heart.org
Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, women’s heart health, NCAA women’s basketball, Go Red for Women, public health advocacy, preventive cardiology, gender disparities in medicine, Life’s Essential 8, cardiovascular risk management, health education
