Haley Van Voorhis Becomes First Non-Kicker Woman To Appear In College Football Game

Shenandoah University's Haley Van Voorhis put her name in the history books. On Saturday she became the first female non-kicker to ever play in an NCAA or NAIA college football game.

Van Voorhis plays for the D-III Shenandoah University Hornets. On Saturday she saw game action for the first time in a game against Juniata College.

The junior out of The Plains, Virginia is listed as a safety. When she entered the game, No. 10 didn't waste any time making an impact.

The second the ball was snapped, the 5'6'', 145-pound Van Voorhis ran straight past Juniata's offensive line. She hurried the quarterback into rushing a throw, then she took him to the turf for good measure.

Boom. History.

The business major told ESPN in a 2021 interview, that she was used to hearing it from doubters

"There's definitely people out there who see the story and think, 'This girl's going to get hurt,'" she said. "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."

Van Voorhis doesn't limit her athletic pursuits to the gridiron. According to ESPN, she is also a sprinter on the school's track and field team.

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