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Though The Sandlot is an all-time classic sports movie, we might have to rethink the immortal words, “You play ball like a girl.”
Arizona’s Becca Longo, 18, made college football history when she signed a letter of intent to play at Division II Adams State in Colorado. Longo isn’t the first woman to play college football, but she is the first to receive a scholarship to play for an NCAA program at D-II or higher. She was an ace kicker for high school team. In other words, playing ball like a girl is now a definitive compliment.
Longo committed to Adams State earlier this spring and then was celebrated in a signing ceremony of all scholarship athletes at her high school on Wednesday.
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“It was like recruiting any other athlete,” Adams State coach Timm Rosenbach told the Arizona Public. “In Division II, we can see their workouts. To me, there is no doubt she can be competitive. She has a strong leg, and she can be very accurate.”
According to the Republic, Longo nailed 30-of-33 point-after tries (PATs) and hit a 30-yard field goal during her senior season.
Rosenbach, who played ball at Washington State and started all 16 games for the then-Phoenix Cardinals in 1990, didn’t seem to think that Longo’s gender was important. He noted that his wife is a former pro athlete and Longo is “a football player who earned it.”
We here at COED aren’t overly tuned in to the D-II sports world, but you can bet Longo will have an office full of fans this upcoming season.
