 | This article needs to be updated.(October 2023) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(January 2020) |
The Huntsville Tigers is a women's American football team located in Huntsville, Alabama. The Tigers played their first season of full-contact football in the spring of 2012. This was the Tigers' first season as a new team. The team consists of former Alabama Renegades and Tennessee Valley Tigers players as well as a number of new players.
Women's football has existed in the Huntsville area since the fall of 2000 when the Alabama Renegades first came into existence. The Renegades were one of the founding teams of the National Women's Football Association (NWFA). In the fall 2000, the Alabama Renegades and the Nashville Dream played a six-game exhibition season to determine the viability of a women's full-contact football league. The exhibition games were a huge success and the National Women's Football Association (NWFA) expanded to 12 teams in its first full season of play in the spring of 2001. Ray Quinn was the man who first brought full-contact football to Huntsville and he owned the team for two years. [1]
Nancy Byrd, a Renegades player, took over the team from Quinn in 2003. Byrd continued to play for the Renegades while owning the team. At the end of the 2008 season Byrd retired from playing and put the team up for sale. Byrd later stated: "I decided to retire from playing and no one was willing to take on the responsibility of running this team. I appreciate the opportunity Ray and Catherine Masters (NWFA founder) gave me to play football", stated Byrd.[ citation needed ] The NWFA league ceased operations that same year. [2]
 | |
| Colors | Black, Silver, Purple |
|---|---|
| Owner | Carlos Mathews |
Carlos Mathews, the former offensive coordinator for the Renegades, realized the potential for women's football in the Huntsville area and decided to explore ways to bring the game back for a 2009 season. Mathews researched several leagues but only found one with the stability needed to support women's football in the Huntsville Area. The Tigers officially joined the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL) on August 12, 2008, as a Tier II team. On October 24, 2011, after learning that Carlos Matthews wasn't bringing the team back, former player Carmelesia Sullivan looked into forming a team. [3] [4] [5]
Sullivan formed the Huntsville Tigers from former Tennessee Valley Tigers players. In the first season of play, the Tigers finished with a 5–3 record, losing twice to the Chattanooga Locomotion - another Tier II team - and once to the Atlanta Xplosion - a Tier I team in 2009. The Tigers also defeated then ranked number seven Clarksville Fox who in the 2008 season had competed for the Independent Women's Football League Tier II championship. The Tigers played their home games at Milton Frank Stadium in Huntsville, Alabama. Because of the devastating effects of the 2011 Super Outbreak, the Tigers had to forfeit their final two regular-season games. On August 30, the Tigers announced they had left the IWFL to join the WSFL.
| This section needs to be updated.(July 2019) |
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3 | 3 | 0 | Exhibition Season | -- |
| 2001 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2nd Southern | -- |
| 2002 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1st Central | Lost Southern Conference Semifinal (Pensacola) |
| 2003 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2nd Southern Central | Won Southern Conference Quarterfinal (Asheville) Lost Southern Conference Semifinal (Pensacola) |
| 2004 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2nd Southern Gulf Coast | -- |
| 2005 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 7th Southern | -- |
| 2006 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3rd Southern Southeast | -- |
| 2007 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3rd Southern Central | -- |
| 2008 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4th Southern East | -- |
| Totals | 42 | 33 | 0 | ||
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Valley Tigers (IWFL) | |||||
| 2009 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 10th Tier II | -- |
| 2010 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3rd Tier II East Southeast | -- |
| 2011 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 5th East Mid-South | -- |
| Tennessee Valley Tigers (WSFL) | |||||
| 2012* | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Totals | 10 | 14 | 0 | ||
* = Current Standing
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Time | Event Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 9 | Memphis Belles | Away | 7pm | N/A | L, 12-16 |
| April 16 | Clarksville Fox | Away | 7pm | N/A | L, 6-32 |
| April 23 | Georgia Peachez | Home | 7pm | TBA | W, 2-0** |
| April 30 | Bye | ||||
| May 7 | Memphis Belles | Home | 4pm | TBA | L, 6-32 |
| May 14 | Clarksville Fox | Home | 7pm | N/A | L, 6-12 |
| May 21 | Clarksville Fox | Home | 7pm | TBA | L, 6-22 |
| May 28 | Chattanooga Locomotion | Away | 7pm | Battle for the Border Rivalry Game | L, 0-2*** |
| June 4 | Bye | ||||
| June 11 | Atlanta Xplosion | Home | 7pm | TBA | L, 0-2 |
** = Won by forfeit *** = Forfeited
| Date | Name | Record | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Alber, Marty | Season Passing Leader | 917 yards |
| 2009 | Alber, Marty | Season Passing TD Leader | 15 |
| 2009 | Bady, Starry | Season Receiving TD Leader | 4 |
| 2009 | Harvey, Stephanie | Season Receiving Leader | 210 yards |
| 2009 | Suttles, Marsheka | Season Rushing TD Leader | 6 |
| 2009 | White, Katie | Field Goal Leader | 2 |
| 2009 | White, Katie | Extra Point Completed | 16 |
| 2009 | Bady, Starry | Interception Yards | 55 yards |
| 2009 | Hendrix, Danielle | Leading Tackler | 41 |
| 2009 | Team Offense | Most Points in a Single Game | 68 |
| 2009 | Team Defense | Most shutouts in a season | 4 |
| 2010 | White, Katie | Longest Kickoff Return for TD | 70 yards |
| 2010 | Eatman, Dionne | Season Rushing Yards Leader | 496 yards |
| 2010 | Eatman, Dionne | Single Game Rushing Yards | 174 yards |
| Player | Position | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Carmela Sullivan | DB | 22 |
| Carmelesia Sullivan | DB | 23 |
| Carson Wakefield | OL | 84 |
| Cheronda "Rock" Phillips | RB | 50 |
| Christina Whitney | DB/K | 51 |
| Lauren "LC" Coleman | DB | 9 |
| Sharessa "TJ" Allen | DB | 82 |
| Sonia Leggs | RB/WR | 34 |
| Franchesca Atkins | QB/WR/CB | |
| Nina Cook | RB/WR | TBA |
| Shelley Drake | DE | TBA |
| Chasity Herron | WR/LB | TBA |
| Becky Hensel | QB/WR | TBA |
| Hayley Howard | LB | 55 |
| Monique Jefferson | OL/DT | TBA |
| Shana Levett | CB | TBA |
| Heidi McQuire | DL/OL/FB | TBA |
| Mosheda Pettus | TE/DE | TBA |
| Yvette Price | TBA | TBA |
| Aisha Robinson | C/OL | TBA |
| Jayme Truitt | WR/CB | TBA |
| Liz Wilson | QB/WR/CB | TBA |
| Reg Schedule | Home | Away | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/28 | Huntsville Tigers | Memphis Dynasty | 16-6 L |
| 5/28 | Huntsville Tigers | Arkansas Rampage | 32-0 W |
| 5/12 | Carolina Queens | Huntsville Tigers | 22-19 L |
| 6/2 | Arkansas Rampage | Huntsville Tigers | 41-0 W |
| 6/9 | Cape Fear Thunder | Huntsville Tigers | 40-0 W |
| 6/23 | Huntsville Tigers | Cape Fear Thunder | 50-0 W |
| 6/30 | Tri-State Bruisers | Huntsville Tigers | 2-0 W |
| 7/7 | Huntsville Tigers | Tri-State Bruisers | 2-0 W |
| Playoffs | |||
| 7/21 | Game won due to forfeit of other team | 2-0 W | |
| 7/28 | New Jersey Titans | Huntsville Tigers | 26-6 L |
Sports teams based in Alabama | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  | ||||||
| Basketball | |||||||
| Football | |||||||
| Hockey | |||||||
| Roller derby | |||||||
| Soccer | |||||||
| College athletics |
| ||||||
The National Women's Football Association (NWFA) was a full-contact American football league for women headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The league was founded by Catherine Masters in 2000, as the two benchmark teams, the Alabama Renegades and the Nashville Dream played each other six times in exhibition games. The opening season was in 2001 featuring ten teams. The NWFA did not officially field any teams for the 2009 season.
The Oklahoma City Lightning is a full-contact women's American football team in the Women's Spring Football League based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Home games are played at Taft Stadium.
The Gulf Coast Riptide was a women's American football full contact football team in the Women's Spring Football League founded in 2001 as the Pensacola Power of the National Women's Football Association. The WFA plays under NFL rules with minor modifications such as ball size and kick off placement. Their home field was Escambia High School in West Pensacola. This team no longer plays.
The Austin Outlaws are a women's football team in the Women's Football Alliance. They are based in Austin, Texas. Home games are played at historic House Park in downtown Austin.
The Detroit Demolition was a women's American football team based in the Detroit, Michigan area. During their most recent season, home games were played at Franklin High School in Livonia. They joined the National Women's Football Association (NWFA) in 2002 as the Detroit Danger, winning a national championship. Their only loss that year was in the regular season to the Cleveland Fusion by a score of 14–3.
The Erie Illusion was a women's football team playing in the United States Women's Football League and they were based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Their team colors was orange and purple; the team played at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium. Mary Butler was the owner and general manager of the franchise. Troy Allen was the Illusion's final head coach.
The Nashville Dream was a women's professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They were one of the founding teams of the National Women's Football Association. The team was active from 2000 to 2007 and last played at the Glencliff High School football field.
The Minnesota Vixen is a professional women's football team based in the Twin Cities. The team has been known as the Minnesota Vixens and Minneapolis Vixens prior to being known as the Vixen.
The Cincinnati Sizzle is a women's professional full-contact/tackle football team from Cincinnati, Ohio. The team was established in 2003, by former Cincinnati Bengals running back Ickey Woods. Steve Sherman is the current owner of the Cincinnati Sizzle, as of the 2018 season, with Michelle Terrell continues in her 15th year as general manager. The regular season spans from April to July. Currently the home games are played at Walnut Hills High School (Cincinnati).
The Boston Militia were a women's full-contact football team in the Women's Football Alliance of which they were two-time champions. Previously, the Militia played in the Independent Women's Football League from 2008 until 2010, winning the IWFL championship in 2010. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the Militia played its home games at Dilboy Stadium in nearby Somerville.
The H-Town Texas Cyclones were a team of the Independent Women's Football League. Based in Houston, the Cyclones played their home games at Reggie Grob Stadium on the campus of the Spring Branch Independent School District. The Cyclones were the second IWFL team based in Houston, after the Houston Energy. However, while the Energy competes in Tier I, the Cyclones were expected to compete in Tier II. Both teams were to compete for talent and fans with the Women's Football Alliance's Houston Power.
The Jersey Justice were an Independent Women's Tackle Football Team based in Carteret, New Jersey. The team was formed in 2008 with many former players and staff from the New Jersey Titans. Home games in 2011 are to be played on the campus of St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel Township, New Jersey. Prior to 2011 they played all home games at Carteret High School. The Justice elected to not finish the 2011 season after playing only 3 games and are defunct.
The Ventura Black Widows, a women's tackle football Tier 3 team, was founded in 2008 by Ahmad Newton of Los Angeles, CA. Originally a member of the National Women’s Football Association (NWFA), they became independent when the league folded later that same year. Shortly after, an up-start league, the WFA, invited the Ventura Black Widows to join. Due to the Black Widows' small roster, the team decided to play 8-on-8. After two independent seasons, the Black Widows were invited to join the Women’s Spring Football League in 2010. During their tenure in the WSFL, the VBW won two Southwest Division titles: taking the first one in 2011 and the second in 2013. The next year saw them join the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL) where they continue their active membership.
The D.C. Divas are a women's gridiron football team that plays in the Women's Football Alliance. Based in the Washington metropolitan area, the Divas play their home games at The St. James fieldhouse in Springfield, Virginia. Formerly, the Divas played at Eastern High School in Washington, D.C.; Largo High School in Largo, Maryland; the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, and at John R. Lewis High School in Springfield.
The Binghamton Tiger Cats played their sixth season overall and fourth as a member of the Women's Spring Football League (WSFL) in 2014. The Tiger Cats Women's Tackle Football team based in Binghamton, New York began play for its inaugural 2009 season as a member of the Women's Football Alliance and for the 2010 season as a member of the Independent Women's Football League. The Tiger Cats competed as an independent team in 2011. The Tiger Cats completed the 2013 season as the WSFL Northeast Division Champions in the 8 man division and were also a WSFL National Championship Runner-Up.
The Memphis Dynasty is a team of the United States Women's Football League which began play for the 2010 season in the Women's Football Alliance. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, home games were played at Evangelical Christian School.
The United States Women's Football League (USWFL) is a full-contact women's American football minor league that opened with exhibition play in 2010 and subsequently played its first regular season in 2011. The league was known as the "Women's Spring Football League" from 2009 to 2015.
The Atlanta Xplosion, known as the Atlanta Ravens for the year of 2011, was a football team in the Independent Women's Football League. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the Xplosion played their home games in nearby Smyrna, Georgia at Campbell High School.
The Three Rivers Xplosion is a women's football team based in South Side, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. They are members of the Women's Spring Football League (WSFL) and was the first player-owned women's tackle football team in Pittsburgh. The team was founded and played their first season in 2011 as an independent team, then joined the WSFL for the 2012 season, where they finished 3–5 and won the Northeast 8-man Division title.
The Boston Renegades are a tackle football team in the Women's Football Alliance. The Renegades play their home games at Harry Della Russo Stadium in Revere, Massachusetts.