Haley Van Voorhis
| 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 |
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]
Early life and high school
[edit]Van 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
[edit]Before 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] During her senior season in 2024, Van Voorhis played in two games, recording a tackle in each game and logging a near-interception pass breakup[9] in Shenandoah's 41-14 win over Averett University. [10][11]
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.
- ^ Averett football vs. Shenandoah. Retrieved December 27, 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Haley Van Voorhis - 2024 - Football". Shenandoah University. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
- ^ report, Star staff (November 2, 2024). "SU football cruises past Averett, improves to 6-2". The Winchester Star. Retrieved December 27, 2024.