First Woman Non-Kicker Breaks Barriers Playing In NCAA Football Game

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In a groundbreaking moment for college football, Haley Van Voorhis, a Safety from Division-III Shenandoah University, became the first woman non-kicker to step onto the field in an NCAA football game.

The landmark football game took place on Saturday when Shenandoah University faced off against Juniata.

Van Voorhis entered the game in the first quarter, immediately leaving her mark with a quarterback hurry on a third-down play.

Standing at 5-foot-6 and weighing 145 pounds, this junior athlete from Plains, Virginia, has spent the last two seasons on the junior varsity team.

Beyond the gridiron, Van Voorhis also excels in track and field, specializing in sprint events.

This landmark achievement follows in the footsteps of other pioneering women in college football.

Van Voorhis, in an interview with ESPN in 2021, acknowledged the persistent challenges she has faced throughout her football journey.

She said, “There’s definitely people out there who see the story and think, ‘This girl’s going to get hurt.’ I hear that a lot. Or, ‘She’s too small, doesn’t weigh enough, not tall enough.’ But I’m not the shortest on my team, and I’m not the lightest.”

Shenandoah’s coach, Scott Yoder, also expressed his admiration for Van Voorhis’s dedication and determination, emphasizing that her pursuit of this opportunity mirrored the essence of sports.

“For 21 years, I’ve been fortunate to be on the coaching side of that. And at the core of this, it’s no different,” he remarked.

Haley Van Voorhis’s historic achievement serves as a testament to the resilience and talent of women in sports, breaking down barriers and inspiring future generations of athletes.