Content Stats & Analytics for @nowthisnews

NowThis
@nowthisnews

3,991,010 followers

Haley Van Voorhis, a defensive back from Shenandoah University, made history by becoming the first woman who wasn’t a kicker or punter to play in an NCAA football game. The historic moment occurred during a game in which Shenandoah University defeated Juniata College 48-7. ‘It’s an amazing thing,’ Van Voorhis said after the game, according to the Washington Post. ‘I just wanted to get out and do my thing. I want to show other people this is what women can do, to show what I can do. It’s a big moment. I made the impossible possible, and I’m excited about that.’ There have been multiple instances of women playing kicking positions in college football over the years, but none of those were in a defensive or offensive position. Van Voorhis’ appearance on the field made national news, with an ESPN camera crew present to document the occasion. Tracy Fitzsimmons, the university’s current president and also its first woman in the position, expressed her joy at seeing Van Voorhis take the field and called it an ‘extraordinary accomplishment for women everywhere.’ Van Voorhis has played football for years, starting in fifth grade when she joined a coed flag football team. She continued to play throughout high school, where she was the first girl to play football at her boarding school in Virginia, and even served as team captain during her senior year. #ncaa #football #collegefootball #womeninsports