On Friday night, August 31, 2012, Erin DiMeglio may have made history. When she took the field, playing for the South Plantation High School football team, in Davie, Florida, it is believed she became the first girl ever to play quarterback in a regular-season game in Florida. DiMeglio is one of a growing number of girls who are playing football with the boys in high school. According to the Women's Sports Foundation, more than 700 girls are playing high school football in the United States.
What about the next level? The following are five women who have set milestones for women in college football:
Liz Heaston: On October 18, 1997, Heaston became the first woman to score a point in a college football game, when she kicked an extra point for the Willamette University Bearcats (NAIA) against Linfield College. In her career she made two of four extra point attempts, in two games played. Her jersey hangs on display at the College Football Hall of Fame.
Ashley Martin: When Martin kicked an extra point for the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks, August 30, 2001, it was the first time a female had scored in an NCAA football game (Div 1-AA). She went on to make two more extra points in the game, a 72-10 victory over Cumberland University.
Katie Hnida: Katharine "Katie" Hnida became the first woman to score in a Div 1-A game (college football's highest level) on August 30, 2003, when she kicked two extra points for the University of New Mexico Lobos against Texas State University. She was also the first to play in a bowl game, the 2002 Las Vegas Bowl, but did not score as her extra point attempt was blocked by UCLA. Katie Hnida went on to become the first female player in the Continental Indoor Football League, in 2010, as kicker for the Fort Wayne FireHawks.
Tonya Butler: With a successful 27-yard field goal for the University of West Alabama Tigers, against Stillman on September 13, 2003, Butler was the first woman to score a field goal in an NCAA football game. Tonya Butler had previously played two seasons for the Middle Georgia College Warriors, at the junior college level, where she made 36 of 42 extra points and one field goal.
Brittany Ryan: Playing for the Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen from 2007 to 2010, Ryan holds the all-time record for points scored by a woman in college football. Having made 82 extra points, plus six field goals, she finished her career with an even 100 points.
Harold Andrews has been an avid sports fan for nearly 50 years. He is always impressed by those who break new ground for others to follow.
source:
foxnews.com
womenssportsfoundation.org
willamette.edu
abcnews.go.com
katiehnida.com
nytimes.com
godutchmen.com
