Female student leaders: An examination of transformational leadership, athletics, and self-esteem

•Female athletes demonstrate significantly higher self-esteem scores.•Self-esteem, Model the Way, and Enable Others to Act scores predict athlete status.•Latent profile analysis shows three distinct profiles of self-esteem and leadership.•Athletes significantly more likely to fall in high or moderate profiles.

The present investigation examined differences between NCAA Division I female athletes and non-athletes concerning self-esteem and transformational leadership traits. Participants were 635 women who completed an online survey including the Student Leadership Practices Inventory and Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale. A logistic regression analysis predicted athlete status from self-esteem and the leadership scales Model the Way and Enable Others to Act. Latent profile analysis revealed three distinct leadership and self-esteem profiles; differences in the profiles emerged among athlete and non-athlete groups. Female athletes are more likely than non-athletes to be categorized into profiles reporting higher levels of self-esteem and leadership characteristics. This paper adds to the growing literature on female athletes who are leaders.