Nine for IX Shorts

C. Vivian Stringer is one of the most prolific coaches in the history of college basketball. She was the first to lead three different schools to the NCAA Final Four (Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Iowa and Rutgers) and received the highest honor of all in 2009 -- a place alongside Michael Jordan, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan and David Robinson as an inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Stringer became more well known to the non-sports world in 2007, when the words "nappy headed hoes" were used to describe the group of young women she led, in spite of tremendous odds, to the National Championship game that same year. Perhaps because Stringer is also a mother whose career successes have been intertwined with personal tragedy, her response to the 2007 incident showed she wasn't just a great coach, but the perfect example of grace under fire.

On the anniversary of Payne Stewart's death, Hannah Storm's documentary looks back on the tragedy that took his life -- and how his wife, Tracey, has tried to move on with hers.

On Feb. 23, 2013, Ronda Rousey made history by becoming the UFC's first female bantamweight champion. After locking up her signature armbar on Liz Carmouche, Rousey became the No. 1 female fighter in the world, and she has been on the rise ever since.

From a celebrated hoops prodigy to a self-reliant professional basketball star, from Baylor to the WNBA and overseas, Brittney Griner had a wild ride last year. Her trip ended in China, where she drew oohs and aahs from fascinated crowds ... and learned a little something about herself along the way.

It was a stunning announcement: Bill Koch, winner of the 1992 America's Cup, wanted to form an all-female sailing team to try to win the 1995 Cup. The bold experiment ended in heartbreak for the Mighty Mary's crew, but the twists and turns of their story are worth remembering.

In the 1980s, Jan Stephenson made a rousing run to the top of the LPGA, with a golf game to win championships and a sex appeal that sparked controversy. But no matter what people said or thought about Stephenson, one thing is undeniable -- she livened up the tour for nearly a decade with her colorful life.