Tennis legend Billie Jean King will deliver the keynote address at USC Annenberg’s 2024 commencement ceremony on May 10, the school announced today.
King is credited with popularizing women’s tennis and is one of the most decorated individuals in the sport’s history. In her 24-year career, King won 39 grand slam titles and famously defeated Bobby Riggs in “The Battle of the Sexes,” a turning point for gender equality in professional sports.
“Billie Jean King has used the power of sports, and her towering accomplishments as an athlete, not simply to reflect culture but to shape it,” said Dean Willow Bay in an announcement Tuesday morning. “In doing so, she has revealed a profound understanding of the power of communication as an essential catalyst for change. Her relentless determination, resilience and unwavering dedication to challenging the status quo and advocating for equal opportunity have opened doors for so many of us to enter, including our Class of 2024.”
She retired from competing in 1983, going on to coach multiple U.S. women’s Olympic Tennis teams. In 2009, she became the first female athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for championing women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. King has pioneered equal pay and inclusivity in women’s athletics through her activism, charities and initiatives.
Growing up in Southern California, King got her start playing tennis on the Long Beach courts and attended California State University, Los Angeles. She remains involved in Los Angeles sports through an ownership stake in the Dodgers, Angel City FC and the L.A. Sparks.
Previous Annenberg commencement speakers include restaurateur David Chang, ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott and television personality Oprah Winfrey.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. in McCarthy Quad.