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Empowering Women in Sport: A Transformative Gift to McGill

It’s a powerful moment for women in sport—and McGill is taking the lead, thanks to a transformative $1.25-million gift from alumni Monica Leitham Hantho (BEd’81) and Mark Hantho (BCom’81). Their donation establishes the Hantho Initiative for Women’s Athletics, supporting a bold collaboration between McGill’s Athletics & Recreation and the Faculty of Education. It will drive cutting-edge research at the Sylvan Adams Sports Science Institute (SASSI) to improve female athletic performance and inform coaching practices grounded in science.

“This gift is truly transformative,” says Professor Benoît Gentil, Interim Director of SASSI. “It shows real leadership by combining research and the women in sports program.” This collaborative initiative will expand access to key services for McGill’s female student-athletes, including mental performance support, nutritional guidance, and career development, while strengthening the pathway for women in coaching and leadership roles. But also, by investing in performance-based research—from wearable tech to nutrition and sex-specific recovery—McGill is helping redefine how science supports female athletes in sport. As Professor Gentil puts it, “We do this research to improve and inform real-world practices.”

Stay tuned as McGill turns headwinds into tailwinds for the next generation of women in sport.

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