List of female gridiron football players

Main article: Women's gridiron football

Women's gridiron football (including American football and Canadian football) is a form of the sport played by women. Most leagues in the United States, such as the Women's Football Alliance, play by rules similar to men's tackle football. ^[1] Although women's flag football is emerging as a collegiate sport, ^[2] women playing gridiron football at the college level have historically joined men's teams, often (though not exclusively) as placekickers. ^[3]

The following is a list of some of the most notable female American football players.

Players in predominantly male football leagues

• Kristie Elliott - First Canadian woman to play, and to score, in an NCAA football game, which she did on September 11, 2021, as a kicker for Simon Fraser University. ^{[4] [5]}
• Julie Harshbarger – First woman to score a field goal in a men's professional football game, as placekicker for the Chicago Cardinals in the CIFL in 2010. ^{[6] [7]} Harshbarger was named CIFL Special Teams Player of the Year for 2014, as kicker for the Chicago Blitz, and as the AIF Special Teams Player of the Year for 2015, after the Blitz changed leagues. ^[8]
• Katie Hnida – Placekicker for the Fort Wayne FireHawks of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) in 2010. ^{[9] [7]} She played in the first three games of the season, but developed a blood clot in her kicking leg. ^[9] Hnida went on to become a kicker for the Colorado Cobras in the Colorado Football Conference, and for the KC Mustangs in the Interstate Football League. ^[9] (See also "College players" below.)
• Ella Lord – First woman to play in the Atlantic Football League, playing for the UNB Reds on September 21, 2024. ^[10]
• Patricia Palinkas – First woman to play professional football, debuting on August 15, 1970, as a holder for her placekicker husband on the Orlando Panthers of the minor-league Atlantic Coast Football League. ^[7] She played two games in the preseason but left after Steve Palinkas was injured and cut from the team. ^{[11] [12]}
• Jasmine Plummer – First female quarterback for a Pop Warner football team. ^[13] At the age of 11 years old, she became the first female quarterback and the first black female athlete to play in the Pop Warner Super Bowl youth football tournament, ^[14] specifically the 56th Annual Pop Warner Super Bowl (Junior Pee Wee division); however, her team, the Harvey Colts, lost in the semifinals.
• Morgan Smith - First female player in the Empire Football League, as placekicker for the Glens Falls Greenjackets in 2022. ^[15]
• Melissa Strother - First female player to score a point in the Arena Football League, which occurred on May 12, 2024, when she made an extra point while playing as kicker for the Washington Wolfpack. ^[16] Strother had also been with Champions Indoor Football's Rapid City Marshals before joining the AFL along with the rest of that league in 2023. ^[17]
• Maya Turner - First woman to play in a U Sports regular season football game, which she was on September 23, 2023, as a Manitoba Bisons kicker. She kicked the game winning field goal in overtime for the Bisons in their game against the Regina Rams. ^[18]
• Abby Vestal – First woman to score points in a men's professional football game, ^[19] kicking three out of four extra points on April 23, 2007, for the Kansas Koyotes of the indoor American Professional Football League, as a high school senior. ^{[20] [21] [22]} She was replaced with a college kicker after her fourth game. ^{[23] [21]} Vestal went on to play women's tackle football for the Kansas City Storm. ^[7]
• Jennifer Welter – First woman to play in a non-kicking or skill position in a men's professional football league, as running back for the Texas Revolution of the Indoor Football League in 2014. ^{[7] [24]} In 2015, Welter became the first female coach in a men's professional football league, after joining the coaching staff of the Revolution. ^[7] That year, she also became the first female NFL coach as an intern with the Arizona Cardinals, ^[7] coaching inside linebackers at training camp and during the preseason. ^[25]

Players in predominantly female football leagues

Players in traditional ("full pads") tackle football leagues.

1960s and 1970s

• Marcella Sanborn – Quarterback, Cleveland Daredevils (from 1967), called "the first true 'star' of women's football", ^[26] playing for the first women's tackle football team. ^{[27] [26]} Named Bud Collins's Athlete of the Year for 1967 in The Boston Globe . ^[28]
• Linda Jefferson – Halfback, Toledo Troopers (1972–1979), seven-time national champions (WPFL, NWFL). ^[29] One of only four women inducted into the American Football Association Hall of Fame. ^{[30] [31]} Named the 1975 Athlete of the Year by womenSports, the first magazine dedicated exclusively to covering women in sports. ^[30] Posted five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons rushing. ^[30]
• Barbara Patton – Linebacker, Los Angeles Dandelions (1973–1975). In 1974, Patton was featured in a nationally syndicated newspaper article ("Mom, 32, Tries Football"), as linebacker, PBX operator, and single mother of two children, including her son Marvcus, age 7. ^[32] Throughout his career as an NFL linebacker, Marvcus Patton went on to frequently mention the influence of his mother Barbara as a former linebacker herself. ^{[33] [34]}

21st century

• Callie Brownson: Safety/running back, D.C. Divas (2010–2017). Two-time gold medalist for Team USA in the 2013 and 2017 IFAF Women's World Championships. Became the first female assistant football coach in the NCAA's Division I when she was hired by the Dartmouth Big Green football team. ^[35] Currently an assistant coach of the Cleveland Browns. ^[36]
• Allison Cahill: Quarterback, Boston Renegades (2003, 2005–present). First quarterback in history to amass 100 career victories playing exclusively in women's football leagues. ^[37]
• Sami Grisafe: Quarterback, Chicago Force (2007–present). 2013 WFA National Champion and game MVP. Two-time gold medalist for Team USA in the 2010 and 2013 IFAF Women's World Championships. Musician and songwriter.
• Anita Marks: Quarterback, Miami Fury (2000–2002), Florida Stingrays (2003). Television and radio sports reporter/commentator. ^[38]
• Yekaterina Pashkevich: Running back, New Hampshire Freedom (2002–2006) and Boston Rampage (2007). A charter member of Russia's first women's national hockey team. Olympian for Russian Federation women's hockey team (2002, 2006, 2014). ^[39]
• Natalie Randolph: Wide receiver, DC Divas (2004–2008). Became third ever female head coach a boys' high school football team in 2010. Recipient of the Women of Distinction Award from the American Association of University Women in 2011.
• Phoebe Schecter: Defensive linebacker and captain of the Great Britain team. ^{[40] [41]} In 2015, Schecter led the GB team to the European Championship final against Finland. ^[40] In 2017, she made headlines as a coaching intern with the Buffalo Bills in the NFL. ^[42]
• Sarah Schkeeper: Offensive guard, New York Sharks, Richmond Black Widows (2009–present). Gold medalist for Team USA 2013 IFAF Women's World Championship. Founder of Richmond Black Widows football club.
• Katie Sowers: Eight-year player in the Women's Football Alliance and gold medalist for Team USA at the 2013 IFAF Women's World Championship. ^[43] Later became the second female coach in NFL history, and the first to coach in a Super Bowl. ^[44]
• Lei'D Tapa: Linebacker, Carolina Queens (2007–2009). Professional wrestler and model.
• Donna Wilkinson: Running back/tight end, D.C. Divas (2001–present), Los Angeles Amazons (2000). In 2003, became first woman in modern era to rush for over 1,000 yards in an eight-game regular season. Two-time gold medalist for Team USA (2010, 2013). ^[45]
• Alissa Wykes: Running back, Philadelphia Liberty Belles. NWFA MVP in 2001. Came out as a lesbian in December/January 2002 edition of Sports Illustrated for Women .
• Whitney Zelee: Running back, Boston Militia/Renegades (2011–present). In 2013, eclipsed the 2,000-yard benchmark and set a new record of 2,128 rushing yards over an eight-game season, earning her conference MVP honors. ^[46] Holds WFA record for most touchdowns in one game (8 vs D.C. Divas on May 18, 2013). Two-time WFA National Champion and game MVP (2011, 2014).

College players

Almost all of the women who have played on predominantly male college and professional football teams have done so by playing either the placekicker or holder positions. ^[47] Both positions are rarely involved in the full contact present in American football.

Placekickers

• Liz Heaston – First woman to play and score in a college football game, kicking two extra points on October 18, 1997, as a placekicker with the Willamette Bearcats in the NAIA. ^{[7] [48]} A star soccer player, Heaston had been recruited as a replacement for the injured starting kicker, and had trained with the team for three weeks; ^[48] she played in only one other football game for Willamette. ^[11]
• Ashley Martin – Second female athlete to score in a college football game, and the first to score in an NCAA Division I game on August 30, 2001, as a placekicker for Jacksonville State University. ^{[49] [7]} She kicked three extra points in a game against Cumberland University; ^[11] JSU was then in Division I-AA, which later became known as FCS. ^[7]
• Katie Hnida – First woman to score in an NCAA Division I-A football game on August 30, 2003, as a placekicker for the University of New Mexico, kicking two points against Texas State University. ^{[7] [50]} Also the first woman to appear in a bowl game, at the 2002 Las Vegas Bowl against UCLA, during which her extra point attempt was blocked. ^[7] (See also "Players in predominantly male football leagues" above.)
• Tonya Butler – First woman to score a field goal in an NCAA game on September 27, 2003, while playing for the University of West Alabama Tigers in Division II as a graduate student. ^{[51] [52]} By 2004, Butler had scored 87 career points, setting an NCAA record for a female kicker. ^[7]
• Brittany Ryan – Scored 100 career points as placekicker for Lebanon Valley College of NCAA Division III in 2010, breaking Tonya Butler's record for most career points scored by a female player in the NCAA. ^{[53] [7]}
• Sarah Fuller – First woman to play in a Power Five football game on November 28, 2020, after taking the opening kickoff of the second half for the Vanderbilt Commodores football team who were playing Missouri. ^[54] Fuller was a starting goalkeeper on the Vanderbilt women's soccer team, who had won the SEC Championship title the previous weekend; ^[54] she tried out for the men's football team on the Monday before the game, because they were short of specialists due to COVID-19 testing, and needed a kicker. ^[55] On December 12, 2020, Fuller became the first woman to score a point in a Power Five football game, after kicking an extra point in a Vanderbilt game against Tennessee. ^[56]
• April Goss: Former college football placekicker at Kent State University. ^[57]
• KaLena "Beanie" Barnes: Former punter, and first woman to play on a top ten ranked Division I-A team, for the University of Nebraska. ^[58]
• Leilani Armenta: Placekicker for the Jackson State Tigers. First woman to score in an HBCU game, scoring three extra points in an October 29, 2023 game against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. ^[59]
• Madison Barch: First woman to score non-kicking points in college football at any level (NCAA, NAIA, etc.), caught a two-point conversion in an NCAA Division III game at Trine University on November 11, 2023. A placekicker for the Kalamazoo College Hornets, Barch finished her career making 35-of-41 extra point attempts. ^[60]

Other positions

• Taylor Crout – The first female player to play a non-kicking position in an NCAA game at any level, for the D3 Fitchburg State Falcons on September 9, 2023. ^[61] Two weeks later, Haley Van Voorhis also appeared in a non-kicking position, for the D3 Shenandoah Hornets. ^[62]
• Lily Godwin – First female player in NCAA history to record a solo tackle, as a LB for the University of Puget Sound Loggers, a D3 school. ^[63]
• Sam Gordon – Running back, Salt Lake City. Her play in a youth football league ^[64] led to her becoming the first female football player featured on a Wheaties box. ^[65]
• Toni Harris – First woman to be offered a full college football scholarship, playing in a full-contact skill position. ^{[66] [67]} By the end of her community college career as free safety for East Los Angeles Community College, Harris had received scholarship offers from six universities, and finally signed with Central Methodist University, an NAIA school. ^{[67] [66]} Harris was also the first female football player in a television ad aired during the Super Bowl, appearing in a commercial for Toyota during Super Bowl LIII in February 2019. ^[68] In February 2020, Harris appeared in an "NFL 100" commercial at the opening of Super Bowl LIV. ^[69]
• Reina Iizuka – First woman to appear on a U Sports (Canadian) football roster; DB/LB for the University of Manitoba. ^[70]
• Sofia Jonasson – First European female to play for an American college. ^{[71] [72]}
• Shelby Osborne – Became the first female player to play a non-kicking position at a four-year college after signing in summer 2014 to play cornerback at Campbellsville University, an NAIA school. ^[73]

High school players

Pre-2000

• Luverne "Toad" Wise – First female player to score in an American football game, as a kicker for the Atmore (now Escambia County) Alabama High School Blue Devils in 1939; also played in 1940. ^{[74] [75] [76]}
• Frankie Groves – The first female to play on a boys' high school varsity team in the state of Texas, she played right tackle for Stinnett High School in 1947. ^{[77] [78]}
• Theresa Dion – First female player on a boys' high school varsity team in the state of Florida, when she played as a placekicker for Immaculate High School in Key West, Florida, in 1972. ^[79] Dion has been referred to as the first female player on a boys' high school varsity team (in any sport). ^[3]
• Tami Maida – First known quarterback to also a become homecoming princess, as a 14-year-old junior varsity quarterback at Philomath High School in Philomath, Oregon, in 1981. ^[80] Her story was the basis of the CBS movie Quarterback Princess starring Helen Hunt as Maida. ^[80] She is Canadian. ^[80]
• Beth Bates – First female player in Kentucky to score in a high school football game, kicking five extra points for the Williamsburg Yellow Jackets during her junior year in 1982. ^[81] Her historic first extra point was covered in The New York Times and Sports Illustrated. ^{[82] [83]} She became the first female player to score a field goal in Kentucky during her senior year, when she connected on a 22-yarder. ^[81]
• Heather Darrow – First female athlete in the state of Tennessee to score a point in a high school football game, when she kicked a PAT in the season opener as a junior at Notre Dame High in 1986. ^{[84] [85] [86]}
• Kathleen Trumbo – First female in the state of Indiana to earn a varsity letter in football, as a defensive tackle at Corydon Central High School in 1989. ^{[87] [88]} Although other girls in Indiana had started the season on boys' football teams, only Trumbo is believed to have finished. ^[87]
• Sabrina Wells – One of the first two female players in the WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League), who played as a tight end for Ballou High School in Washington, DC, in 1989. ^[89] Featured in Jet magazine with Lakeal Ellis. ^[90]
• Lakeal Ellis – One of the first two female players in the WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League), who played as a defensive back for Roosevelt High School in Washington, DC, in 1989. ^[89] Featured in Jet magazine with Sabrina Wells. ^[90]
• Jessica Schultz – First female in Tennessee to score a touchdown in a varsity football game, as a sophomore running back at Jellico High in 1998. ^{[91] [86]} The touchdown on the home field of border rival Williamsburg High in Kentucky was viewed as "revenge" for the widely publicized extra point scored by Beth Bates 16 years prior. ^[92]
• Tonya Fletcher – One of the very few female players in the state of Illinois to have tried and succeeded in playing high school football as of 1998, along with Tina Brooks of Wauconda High. ^[93] Fletcher was a kicker for Cary Grove High School, who was named homecoming queen in 1998, ^[94] and was featured in Mary-Kate and Ashley Magazine in 2001. ^[95]

Post-2000

• Holley Mangold – In 2007, played high school football as an offensive lineman; younger sister of NFL offensive lineman Nick Mangold. She also competed as a weightlifter in the 2012 Summer Olympics
• Mika Makekau: In 2008, as a placekicker for Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaii, Makekau set the state record for longest field goal (44 yards) by a female kicker. ^{[96] [97]} Later became a college football placekicker at the University of La Verne, making a 26-yard field goal against No. 11 Whitworth on September 7, 2019. ^{[97] [98] [99]}
• Erin DiMeglio – In 2012, became the first female quarterback to see play in Florida high school football history ^[100]
• Anna Zerilli – Started kicking for Manchester-Essex High School, MA in 2015 and was the starting Varsity kicker for them. First female football player in North Shore and Cape Ann History and first female freshman to score in a Varsity game in American history. Currently playing Varsity football at Proctor Academy in New Hampshire. First New England female to sign to play college football. And will be kicking at Lake Forest College in Illinois next fall. ^{[101] [102] [103] [104]} Kicker at Lake Forest College. First female to play on male football team in school history. Became first to play in the conference and first female to play college football in the Midwest.
• Becca Longo – Kicker who in 2017 became the first woman to earn a college football scholarship to an NCAA school at the Division II level or higher and signed a letter of intent with Adams State University. ^[105]

See also

• List of female American football teams
• Women's American football

References

1. de la Cretaz, Britni (February 1, 2019). "Women Play Football Professionally, Too — The Difference Is They Have To Pay To Do It". Bustle. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
2. Wire, Coy (July 1, 2020). ""The Future is Female": Women's flag football is newest college sport". CNN. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
3. Leong, Nancy (2018). "Against Women's Sports". Washington University Law Review. 95 (5): 1271 – via The Free Library.
4. "Kristie Elliott becomes first woman in Canada to play and score in a college football game". The Peak. November 21, 2021.
5. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sfu-football-first-canadian-woman-scores-1.6179046
6. Goodman, Doug (June 30, 2010). "Hononegah grad Harshbarger makes indoor football history". RRStar.com. Rockford Register-Star. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
7. Rozendaal, Neal (2016). The Women's Football Encyclopedia (2016 ed.). Rockville, Maryland: Rozehawk Publishing. pp. 219, 355. ISBN   978-0-9970637-0-7.
8. Blackburn, Ryan (January 26, 2017). "BenU alumna, first woman to kick field goal in indoor football going strong". Benedictine University. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
9. "Katie Hnida, American Football NCAA Kicker". Barefoot Running Magazine (10): 36. Autumn 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2022– via Issuu.com.
10. https://web.archive.org/web/20241009002132/https://tj.news/saint-john-south/female-receiver-catches-on-with-atlantic-football-league-reds
11. Grasso, John (2013). Historical Dictionary of Football. United States: Scarecrow Press. p. 431. ISBN   9780810878570.
12. "Pat's Fame Brings Hang-Up". St. Petersburg Times . Associated Press. September 4, 1970. Retrieved May 30, 2022– via Google Newspapers.
13. "Celebrating Local Black Icons: A Conversation with Football Pioneer Jasmine Plummer". February 12, 2022.
14. "Jasmine Plummer - Age, Movie & Family". Biography. July 7, 2020.
15. "Morgan Smith breaks new ground as Greenjackets placekicker". The Post-Star. July 2, 2022.
16. "Wolfpack make history, but fall 34-21 to West Texas". May 13, 2024.
17. "First woman to play in Arena Football League history, part of new Washington Wolfpack team". KING-TV . May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
18. "Maya Turner kicks OT winner after becoming 1st woman to play regular-season U Sports football game". CBC News. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
19. Bridson, Becky (Fall 2013). "Missing Abby". Lawrence Magazine: 46. Retrieved May 30, 2022– via Issuu.
20. Buckner, Candace (May 9, 2007). "Vestal: Football is her love". Kansas City Star. pp. D1, D7. Retrieved May 30, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
21. Dean, Rick (July 14, 2007). "Ex-Koyotes kicker gives her side of story". cjonline. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
22. Kennedy, Kostya; Bechtel, Mark; Cannella, Stephen (2007). "Faces in the Crowd" . Sports Illustrated . Vol. 106, no. 21. p. 40. Retrieved May 30, 2022– via EBSCO.
23. Buckner, Candace (July 13, 2007). "Teenage girl kicker dumped by pro team". The Kansas City Star. p. D2. Retrieved May 30, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
24. "Running Back Jennifer Welter Makes History By Playing In Pro Football Game". ThePostGame.com. February 17, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
25. Rodrigue, Jourdan (June 15, 2018). "Basketball coach takes on another sport – pro football". The News and Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. p. B2. Retrieved June 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
26. Rozendaal, Neal (2017). "The Greatest Players In Women's Football History: Part 1". Neal Rozendaal. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
27. "Marcella Sanborn Smith was a pioneering star of women's tackle football". Cleveland.com. November 17, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
28. Collins, Bud (December 22, 1967). "Marvelous Marcella – Athlete of the Year". The Boston Globe . p. 9. Retrieved May 28, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
29. Shore, Rob (July 31, 2014). "A Hall of Their Own". Port Charlotte Sun. pp. A21. Retrieved May 27, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
30. "Remembering Toledo's Troopers". Toledo Blade. June 16, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
31. "American Football Association Semi-Pro Hall of Fame". Americanfootballassn.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
32. "Mom, 32, Tries Football". The Times. Munster, Indiana. November 10, 1974. p. 80. Retrieved June 2, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
33. "Some motherly helmut butts got him going". Los Angeles Times . October 3, 1992. p. C2. Retrieved June 2, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
34. Price, Terry (January 22, 1992). "In his mother's footsteps". The Hartford Courant . p. D7. Retrieved June 2, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
35. Jones, Kaelen (September 11, 2018). "Dartmouth hires first female full-time D-I football coach". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
36. Gribble, Andrew (January 31, 2020). "Callie Brownson named Chief of Staff for Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski". www.clevelandbrowns.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
37. "Cahill Notches 100th Career Victory". bostonrenegadesfootball.com. May 16, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
38. "Anita Marks Biography". Anitamarks.com. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
39. "Ice Hockey – Pashkevich trades American football for Olympic dream".
40. "This is Phoebe Schecter, Britain's first female NFL coach". BBC News. August 15, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
41. "Phoebe Schecter – Interview". Female Coaching Network. September 19, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
42. "The Insider: NFL – League opens up paths for women". The Orlando Sentinel . pp. C2. Retrieved May 27, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
43. "Katie Sowers - OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT". 49ers.com. San Francisco 49ers. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
44. Yang, Avery (January 22, 2020). "49ers' Sowers First Female, Openly Gay Super Bowl Coach". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
45. "Donna Wilkinson 2014 Profile". Dcdivas.com. January 18, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
46. Staffieri, Mark. "Whitney Zelee Emerging as the Finest Running Back in All of Women's Football". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
47. Boren, Cindy (November 8, 2012). "Sam Gordon, 9-year-old girl, is already a football star". Washington Post. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
48. "Woman Kicks Extra Points". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 20, 1997. p. C8. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
49. Reaves, Jay (August 31, 2001). "Female kicker 3-for-3 in Division I football debut". CBC sports. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
50. "2 – Katie Hnida". Archived from the original on August 10, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2010. (2-2 PATs, New Mexico vs. Texas State, August 30, 2003.)
51. Carroll, Andrew (September 14, 2003). "UWA's Tonya Butler aims for NCAA history". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C1. Retrieved May 30, 2022– via Google Newspapers.
52. Rosen, Karen (October 17, 2003). "Pioneer still gets her football kicks". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. 8D. Retrieved May 30, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
53. Vecsey, George (October 8, 2010). "Kickers form bond and find sorority". The New York Times. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
54. Sallee, Barrett (November 28, 2020). "Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller makes history as first woman to play in a Power Five college football game". CBS Sports. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
55. Scarborough, Alex (November 28, 2020). "Vanderbilt Commodores K Sarah Fuller makes history with second-half kickoff". ESPN. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
56. Silverstein, Adam (December 13, 2020). "Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller makes history again as first woman to score points in Power Five game". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
57. "April Goss". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
58. Christopherson, Brian (November 10, 2006). "Beanie does it all". Lincoln Journal Star.
59. Bromberg, Nick (October 29, 2023). "Jackson State's Leilani Armenta becomes first woman to score in HBCU football game". Yahoo. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
60. "K-College kicker becomes first woman to score in DIII football game". FOX 17 West Michigan News (WXMI). November 20, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
61. Geoffrey C. Arnold (September 26, 2023). "Taylor Crout, not Hayley Van Voorhis, may have been the first female non-kicker to play in an NCAA game: Report". The Oregonian . Retrieved September 30, 2023.
62. Grez, Matias (September 25, 2023). "Haley Van Voorhis makes history as first female non-kicker to play in NCAA football game". CNN. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
63. "Lily Godwin makes history with tackle in NCAA football game". king5.com. November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
64. Adelson, Eric (November 7, 2012). "Nine-year-old girl Sam Gordon shredding defenses to the tune of 25 touchdowns". Yahoo! Sports . Retrieved November 9, 2012.
65. "Girl Football Player Sam Gordon, 9, Lands Wheaties Box Cover After Video of Skills Goes Viral Video". ABC News. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
66. Almasy, Steve (March 2, 2019). "Woman gets a college football scholarship to play defense on men's team". CNN. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
67. Murphy, Helen (February 27, 2019). "Female College Football Player Gets Full Football Scholarship After Cancer Battle". People. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
68. Caron, Emily (February 27, 2019). "Female football player makes history with scholarship offer". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
69. de la Cretaz, Britni; D'Arcangelo, Lyndsey (2021). Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women's Football League. New York: Bold Type Books. p. 6. ISBN   9781645036623.
70. "Meet Reina Iizuka, the first woman on the roster of a USports men's football team". University Affairs.
71. Eric Hilmersson (July 12, 2021). "Sofia skriver historia – genom att tackla 120-kilosmän". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Retrieved April 28, 2024.
72. Oscar Rickstrand (July 24, 2020). "Hon skriver historia i USA: "Känns enormt"". Skaraborgs Allehanda (in Swedish). Retrieved April 28, 2024.
73. McDonald, Janelle (June 4, 2014). "Groundbreaking football player signs to play in college". Louisville, Kentucky: WAVE-TV . Retrieved August 14, 2014.
74. "Atmore Icons: Luverne 'Toad' Wise Albert – The Atmore Advance". Atmoreadvance.com. July 20, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
75. Springer, Steve (October 6, 2020). "Jones kicks down barriers, scores for Tiger football". Murray Ledger and Times.
76. "The first female football player, a forgotten story from Atmore, Alabama – Alabama Pioneers". www.alabamapioneers.com.
77. "The story of the first female to play Texas high school football...and how it almost never happened". Dallas News . June 2, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
78. "First female football player in Texas recalls glory days". Chron. July 14, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
79. "Good Ole 63 Places a Mean Kick" (PDF). Associated Press. November 3, 1972.
80. "Homecoming queen is the quarterback". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 10, 1981. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
81. Fields, Mike (October 26, 2016). "Beth Bates Got Her Foot in the Door of Football History". KHSAA. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
82. "SPORTS PEOPLE; Point Makes History". The New York Times . September 21, 1982. pp. D26. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
83. "Faces in the Crowd". Sports Illustrated . Vol. 57, no. 16. October 11, 1982 – via EBSCO.
84. "Faces in the Crowd". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 65, no. 16. October 13, 1986 – via EBSCO.
85. "Prep Football Team Pins Its Hopes on New Kicker—and She Hopes to Succeed". Associated Press. September 7, 1986. Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Los Angeles Times.
86. "Regular Season Football Records". TSSAAsports.com. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
87. "Good sport – Female football player may be state's first to earn a letter". Indianapolis Star. December 5, 1989. p. 2. Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
88. "Player tackles skeptics – Gridiron girl now gets respect on and off the field". Indianapolis Star. October 20, 1989. p. 1. Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
89. "Woodland Hills' first opponent: The tight end is a she". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 31, 1989. p. 25. Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
90. "D.C. Girls First to Play on Boys' Football Teams". Jet. November 13, 1989.
91. "Jellico girl scores TD". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. September 18, 1998. p. 37. Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
92. "Sports on the Edge". San Angelo Standard-Times. September 21, 1998. p. 7. Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
93. "Fletcher, Brooks have the answers". The Daily Herald. Chicago, Illinois. September 18, 1998. pp. 1, Section 4. Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
94. "Late stop is key for Cary-Grove". Chicago Tribune. October 11, 1998. pp. 22 (Section 3). Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
95. "Cary girl featured in youth magazine". Northwest Herald. March 27, 2001. Retrieved May 25, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
96. 'Iolani's Mika Makekau sets girls FG distance mark, September 21, 2018, retrieved September 9, 2019
97. Honda, Paul (April 17, 2019). "'Iolani's Mika Makekau becomes La Verne's 1st female football player". www.hawaiiprepworld.com. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
98. "Football Edged by No. 11 Whitworth in Opener". La Verne. September 7, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
99. "First female kicker joins University of La Verne football team". Daily Bulletin. August 23, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
100. Erin DiMeglio makes history at South Plantation High School. ESPN.com. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
101. "Meet Anna Zerilli. She's the kicker on her high school football team. And she got a chance to kick around with New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski!". M.facebook.com. August 3, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
102. Curcuru, Nick (September 28, 2017). "Trailblazer". Gloucester Daily Times. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
103. "Manchester-Essex Player Becomes Football Team's First Ever Female Kicker". CBS News. November 10, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
104. "Girls gaining acceptance on Eastern Massachusetts high school football gridirons". The Boston Globe . November 15, 2017. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
105. Margin, Jill (April 13, 2017). "Becca Longo: Female kicker makes college football history with scholarship". CNN. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

External links

• Independent Women's Football League official website
• Women's Football Alliance official website
• Women's Spring Football League official website Archived April 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
• Lingerie Football League official website