Haley Van Voorhis

American football player (born 2003/2004)

Haley Van Voorhis
Shenandoah Hornets – No. 10
PositionSafety
ClassJunior
MajorBusiness
Personal information
Born:2003
The Plains, Virginia, U.S.
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight145 lb (66 kg)
Career history
College
  • Shenandoah (2021–present)
High schoolChristchurch

Haley Van Voorhis (born 2003)[1] is an American football player for Shenandoah University. She is one of the first women to play a position other than kicker in an NCAA football game, at any level.[2][3] She accomplished this as a safety for the Shenandoah University Hornets on September 23, 2023.[4][5]

Early life and high school

Van Voorhis grew up in The Plains, Virginia. She attended Christchurch School near Urbanna, Virginia where she was a member of the football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. She was 2019 All-State Honorable Mention in Virginia, playing wide receiver and defensive back.[6] Her senior season at Christchurch was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Van Voorhis' coach reported she would have been a team captain and starting receiver that year.[7]

College career

Before starting college, Van Voorhis played strong safety in the Pro division of the Women's Football Alliance for the D.C. Divas in Washington D.C., recording 21 tackles in five games.[8] On Saturday, September 23, 2023, she entered the game in the first quarter for the Shenandoah Hornets against the Juniata Eagles and recorded a quarterback hurry.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Grez, Matias (September 25, 2023). "Haley Van Voorhis makes history as first female non-kicker to play in NCAA football game". CNN. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  2. ^ Geoffrey C. Arnold (September 26, 2023). "Taylor Crout, not Hayley Van Voorhis, may have been the first female non-kicker to play in a NCAA game: Report". The Oregonian. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  3. ^ Leonard Shapiro (September 23, 2023). "Virginia woman makes college football history by stepping on the field". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 30, 2023. In fact, cornerback Taylor Crout entered a game for Fitchburg State earlier this season, and it is uncertain whether there have been others.
  4. ^ "Div. III safety is 1st woman non-kicker to play". ESPN.com. September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  5. ^ Alex Scarborough (September 26, 2023). "Haley Van Voorhis' journey into college football history". ESPN. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  6. ^ "Safety Haley Van Voorhis becomes first woman non-kicker to play in NCAA football game". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  7. ^ Niedzwiecki, Robert (April 8, 2021). "Female defensive back/wide receiver commits to play football for Shenandoah". The Winchester Star. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  8. ^ Brewington, Peter (August 22, 2021). "HALEY PREPARES TO MAKE HISTORY: Van Voorhis begins freshman year as Shenandoah U. defensive back". Fauquier Times, PrinceWilliamTimes.com. Retrieved September 27, 2023.