First Ever Non-Kicker Woman Plays In NCAA Football Game 

On September 23rd in Winchester Virginia, history was made as Shenandoah University junior Haley Van Voorhis became the first ever woman who wasn’t a kicker to play in an NCAA football game. With the Shenandoah Hornets already establishing a 26 point lead with a little more than a minute left in the first quarter against the Juniata Eagles, Van Voorhis was called upon.

As soon as she was put into the game, Van Voorhis seemed to pressure Eagles quarterback Calvin German into throwing an incomplete pass. Shenandoah would later go on to beat Juniata 48-7. Van Voorhis has also had plenty of football background, playing football in highschool at Christchurch in Virginia. She even earned an honorable all-state selection as a junior in 2019. Unfortunately for Van Voorhis, she wasn’t able to play her senior season of football as it was canceled due to COVID-19.

Van Voorhis, the 5’6” 145 pound junior, spent the last two seasons playing on junior varsity. She also runs for Shenandoah’s track and field team (running sprints) all while being a business major.

Shelby Osborne became the first non-kicker woman to take part in an NAIA program at Campbellsville University in 2014. She also appeared in one game in 2018.

Multiple women have played kicking positions in college football. Katie Hinda became the first woman to score in an NCAA Division I-A football game as the place-kicker at New Mexico in 2003. Sarah Fuller became the first woman to score in a Power 5 football game at Vanderbilt as a kicker 17 years later.