Binghamton University Celebrates Women's Sports With Annual Luncheon

Event highlights the importance of women in athletics and raises funds for scholarships

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Binghamton University hosted its 21st Annual Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon, an event that celebrates the university's female athletes and raises funds for women's sports and athletic scholarships. The event featured 2020 Olympic gold medalist in beach volleyball Alix Klineman as the guest speaker, who shared her journey of success and failure as an athlete. Student athlete Carla Curth also spoke about her personal experiences overcoming challenges to become a Division I athlete.

Why it matters

The annual luncheon serves as an important platform to empower women in sports and provide financial support for female athletes at Binghamton University. In a landscape where women's sports often receive less attention and funding than men's sports, this event highlights the achievements of female student-athletes and helps ensure they have the resources to succeed.

The details

The 21st Annual Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon took place at the Binghamton University Events Center on Monday. The event featured 2020 Olympic gold medalist Alix Klineman as the guest speaker, who spoke about her journey in sports and encouraged attendees to pursue their dreams despite facing setbacks. Student athlete Carla Curth also shared her personal experiences overcoming challenges to become a Division I lacrosse player. The luncheon concluded with a meet-and-greet session where local youth athletes had the opportunity to interact with Klineman and Curth.

  • The 21st Annual Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon took place on Monday, February 23, 2026.

The players

Alix Klineman

A 2020 Olympic gold medalist in beach volleyball who served as the guest speaker at the luncheon.

Carla Curth

A member of the Binghamton University women's lacrosse team who spoke at the event about her personal journey as a student-athlete.

George 'Skip' Curth

Carla Curth's father, who is a member of the Binghamton Athletics Hall of Fame for men's soccer.

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What they’re saying

“That's kind of the message I hope to share here today is just to tell people to keep going even when the path isn't that smooth or linear. It's really hard to finish first on that podium and so there's just a lot of failure in life and that doesn't mean you should stop or stop chasing your dreams.”

— Alix Klineman (binghamtonhomepage.com)

“You expect nothing when you go out on the field, and you kind of hope for everything. You go out there, and you give it your all every single day, but you can't go out there expecting to win the national championship every day and score 20 goals. You kind of have to do the gritty work behind the scenes, and when you get out on the field, it will all pay off in the end.”

— Carla Curth, Women's Lacrosse Player (binghamtonhomepage.com)

What’s next

The Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon will continue to be an annual event at Binghamton University, providing a platform to empower female student-athletes and raise funds for women's sports programs.

The takeaway

The Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon at Binghamton University serves as an important reminder of the value and achievements of female athletes. By highlighting their stories and providing financial support, the event helps ensure women have equal opportunities to excel in sports and inspire the next generation of young athletes.