Haley Van Voorhis (born 2003)[1] is an American football player for Shenandoah University. She is one of the first women to play a position other than kicker in an NCAA football game, at any level.[2][3] She accomplished this as a safety for the Shenandoah University Hornets on September 23, 2023.[4][5]
| Shenandoah Hornets – No. 10 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Safety |
| Class | Senior |
| Major | Business |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | 2003 The Plains, Virginia, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Christchurch |
Early life and high school
editVan Voorhis grew up in The Plains, Virginia. She attended Christchurch School near Urbanna, Virginia where she was a member of the football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. She was 2019 All-State Honorable Mention in Virginia, playing wide receiver and defensive back.[6] Her senior season at Christchurch was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Van Voorhis' coach reported she would have been a team captain and starting receiver that year.[7]
College career
editBefore starting college, Van Voorhis played strong safety in the Pro division of the Women's Football Alliance for the D.C. Divas in Washington D.C., recording 21 tackles in five games.[8] On Saturday, September 23, 2023, she entered the game in the first quarter for the Shenandoah Hornets against the Juniata Eagles and recorded a quarterback hurry.[1]
See also
edit- Tonya Butler, the first female to score a field goal in an NCAA game
- Sarah Fuller, the first woman to score in a Power Five conferences football game
- Liz Heaston, the first woman to score in a college football game, done in the NAIA
- Katie Hnida, the first woman to score in an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football game and the first woman to dress for a bowl game.
- Ashley Martin, the first female to score in an NCAA game, and the first to score in a Division I game
- List of female American football players
References
edit- ^ a b Grez, Matias (September 25, 2023). "Haley Van Voorhis makes history as first female non-kicker to play in NCAA football game". CNN. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Geoffrey C. Arnold (September 26, 2023). "Taylor Crout, not Hayley Van Voorhis, may have been the first female non-kicker to play in a NCAA game: Report". The Oregonian. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Leonard Shapiro (September 23, 2023). "Virginia woman makes college football history by stepping on the field". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
In fact, cornerback Taylor Crout entered a game for Fitchburg State earlier this season, and it is uncertain whether there have been others.
- ^ "Div. III safety is 1st woman non-kicker to play". ESPN.com. September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Alex Scarborough (September 26, 2023). "Haley Van Voorhis' journey into college football history". ESPN. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ "Safety Haley Van Voorhis becomes first woman non-kicker to play in NCAA football game". USA Today. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Niedzwiecki, Robert (April 8, 2021). "Female defensive back/wide receiver commits to play football for Shenandoah". The Winchester Star. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Brewington, Peter (August 22, 2021). "HALEY PREPARES TO MAKE HISTORY: Van Voorhis begins freshman year as Shenandoah U. defensive back". Fauquier Times, PrinceWilliamTimes.com. Retrieved September 27, 2023.