"My mindset is one of my strongest capabilities" - CFB star Haley Van Voorhis reflects on her strengths as the first female non-kicker in NCAA

Haley Van Voorhis became the first female who isn't a kicker to play in an NCAA men's football game.

Van Voorhis is a safety for Division III Shenandoah University, and she registered a quarterback hurry in a 48-7 win on the weekend. She had brought the quarterback to the ground just after he released the ball but was credited with the QB hurry.

Following the win, and making history, Van Voorhis was on TODAY and credited her mindset as her biggest strength.

"I just think my mindset is one of my strongest capabilities, alongside my speed and my strength. Just my ability to push myself past where I think I can go has helped me a lot."

Although Haley Van Voorhis knows she's making history, she also knows she's just playing the sport she is good at. However, she is honored to help create a path for women in sports to play football at the NCAA level.

"So to be able to take a step forward is like an amazing thing. Like to create new opportunities along the way and show like hey, this can be done."

Not only did Haley Van Voorhis become the first female non-kicker to play NCAA football, she was also the first girl to play high school football at Christchurch. In high school, she was a defensive back and receiver, and had her senior year not been canceled due to COVID, her coach revealed Van Voorhis would've been a team captain as well as a starter.

Following her high school career, Van Voorhis was recruited by several Division III football teams but picked Shenandoah as they promised her a roster spot and a chance to earn playing time.

Haley Van Voorhis is not the first female to play NCAA football

Although Haley Van Voorhis made history by being the first female who isn't a kicker to play NCAA football, she wasn't the first female.

Instead, multiple women have held kicking roles and in 2003, Katie Hnida became the first woman to score in an NCAA Division I-A football game as the place-kicker at New Mexico.

In 2020, Sarah Fuller became the first woman to score in a Power 5 football game as the kicker for Vanderbilt, as she went 2-for-2 on extra points in a 42-17 Vanderbilt loss.