While Binghamton University is still waiting in anticipation for its own Olympic contender, on Monday it has had the pleasure to meet a female athlete who participated in the worldwide event.

Jessica Mendoza, an American softball player and two-time Olympian, arrived at the University to speak at the fourth annual Lourdes Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon. The luncheon featured fans, community leaders and campus supporters alike who came together to help raise money in recognition of female student athletes and raise awareness of the advantages of women taking up collegiate competition.

Each February, the luncheon is held as part of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which began in 1986 in honor of the accomplishments achieved by female athletes.

Mendoza, who is also the president of the Women’s Sports Foundation, spoke about the benefits and opportunities women have in taking up competitive programs and how they should be encouraged to take part in those activities.

Mendoza hails from California, played softball at Stanford and was a four-time first-team Olympian from 1999-2002. She played on the American softball team in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, winning the gold medal. In 2008, she won the silver medal during the Beijing Olympics.

In addition to being named softball player of the year in 2006, Mendoza served as the color commentator for ESPN’s broadcast of the 2007 and 2008 Women’s College World Series, the NCAA Women’s Softball Tournament finals.

This year, the luncheon was able to raise over $20,000 in support of the Binghamton University Athletic Club Women’s Scholarship Fund. The luncheon featured current female Bearcats athletes and coaches, including senior softball player Sandy Meadows.

“Studies have shown that a high proportion of women leaders have been women athletes,” said Binghamton University President Lois DeFleur, according to a Binghamton University press release. “They learn focus, confidence, time allocation, and they learn to take risks — purposeful risks.”