Being the first at anything is a great feeling to have especially when your making history. In this instance history isn’t being made, it HERSTORY. We’ve seen or heard about a few women in the past and present that played or still play collegiate football do remarkable things playing football which is a physical sport on the DIV I, DIV II, or DIV III collegiate levels.
Whenever the conversation about women playing football, the response someone normally hears is that’s a boy sport or that sport is too grueling for a female to play. Women are looking for an opportunity to prove not only to themselves but the non-believers they can compete. Here are a few women that have been able to score points on the field of play in a collegiate football game, Ashley Martin Jacksonville State University kicker in 2001 was the first to score in a college football game, kicking three extra points against Cumberland University, University of New Mexico placekicker Katie Hnida who transferred from Colorado University kicked two extra points against Texas State University in 2003, Sarah Fuller played for Vanderbilt University, kicked a extra point against University of Tennessee in 2020, Shaw University (CIAA DIV II) kicker India Pulphus kicked an extra point late in the 4th quarter against Virginia State University September 30. 2023.
Now we have Jackson State Tigers Kicker Leilani Armenta who played in her first game against Bethune Cookman University kicked the ball off two times in that game. Head Coach T.C. Taylor wanted to bring Leilani Armenta along slowly to make sure when her number was called she would be prepared for the moment. Leilani Armenta was giving the opportunity to kick three extra points in the game against University Arkansas Pine Bluff, helping the Jackson State Tigers secure the win. Jackson State was up 16-0 in the second quarter, when Jackson State Tight End DJ Steven caught a pass from Quarterback Jacobie Morgan putting the team up 22-0 and that is when Head Coach T.C Taylor called Leilani Armenta name to come in a kick her first extra point making her the first female in history to score points for a HBCU Division I FCS team.
Leilani Armenta plays Defender for the Lady Jackson State Tigers Soccer team, who is a Freshman from Ventura CA. While at Saint Bonaventure High School in Ventura CA, Armenta was a 2X All League Kicker in football for the Seraphs and she also led the Lady Seraphs to a soccer title in 2021.
Leilani Armenta career stats while at Saint Bonaventure High School she had 98/105 PAT 5/5 Field Goals Made, 5 County Kicking Records, 2021 First Team Kicker Marmonte League and 2022 Honorable Mention Kicker Marmonte League.
Jackson State University improves there overall record to 6-3, 4-2 in the conference. Jackson State University will play Texas Southern University, while University of Arkansas Pine Bluff record falls to 1-7 overall, 0-5 in the conference, will play Prairie View A&M.