5 Arizona women named grand marshals for Fiesta Bowl parade

PHOENIX — Five women with Arizona ties were selected as the grand marshals for one of the Valley’s most popular annual parades.

Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi, U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team players Julie Ertz and Jessica McDonald, U.S. Paralympic gold medalist Allysa Seely and Special Olympics golfer Amy Bockerstette will be the grand marshals for the Fiesta Bowl parade, the organization announced Wednesday in a press release.

This year’s parade is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Dec. 28 and will go through the streets of central Phoenix.

“Celebrating women in sports in Arizona is important to honor within our community,” Mike Nealy, Fiesta Bowl executive director, said in the release. “This year’s grand marshals have amazed us with their athletic accomplishments and are an inspiration for the next generation of female athletes.”

All five women made headlines this year for their accomplishments.

Taurasi recently finished her 15th season with the Mercury and remains one of the most popular women’s basketball players.

Ertz, a Mesa native, and McDonald, from Phoenix, were members of the USWNT team that won the World Cup this summer for the second consecutive cycle.

Seely won an ESPY award this summer for Best Female Athlete with a Disability and is a graduate of Mountain Ridge High School and Arizona State University.

Bockerstette is the first Special Olympics athlete to receive a full college athletic scholarship and plays golf for Paradise Valley Community College.

Past women to serve as Fiesta Bowl parade grand marshals include Janet Evans, Jennie Finch, Missy Franklin, Natalie Gulbis, Misty Hyman, Kerri Strug and Amy Van Dyken-Rouen.

Arizona Cardinals President Michael Bidwill was the parade’s grand marshal last year.

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