Making “Herstory”
Greetings From The Booth!
It looks like warmer weather has settled in and as we like to say, “death, taxes, and Shenandoah University Baseball.” As of this writing, Kevin Anderson’s little dynasty is 15th in the nation and rolling right along at 16-4. Let’s hope bigger things are ahead in May for SU Baseball!
Hornet Football is not quite in the rear view mirror, with an historic announcement recently. Fauquier County’s Haley Van Voorhis has committed to ply football for SU as a wide receiver or defensive back . While there have been female kickers at the college level, Haley will be the first female non-kicker to play football at an NCAA school.
A little background on Van Voorhis: This is not a whim. She played in a boy’s league in Fauquier County before playing football for the Kettle Run JV team. She then transferred to Christchurch near Richmond, where she played for 2 years. She comes to Shenandoah with a ringing endorsement from her coach, Ed Homer, who told the Washington Post, “she’s not afraid of anything.” Haley has also been working out with a professional women’s football team in DC, so she is no stranger to organized tackle football.
Hornets’ Head Football Coach Scott Yoder says that this is not some publicity stunt or attempt to make history, and if you know Scott Yoder, you can take that to the bank. He, along with SU defensive backs coach Byron Mitchell, who watched Van Voorhis perform at a combine in late 2020, are better talent evaluators than you or me. They insist that this is strictly a football decision, and offered her a spot based on ability and athletic skill.
At 5-6 and 150 pounds, Haley is not the prototypical wide receiver (or DB). And, like any 150-pounder at this level, there will be safety concerns. Even at the D-3 level, this is still college football, and ODAC defenders will only see an opponent as they cross the middle on a pass pattern. I think she probably wants it that way. The Hornets are deep at receiver and defensive back, so it remains to be seen how much playing time Van Voorhis will get. We shall see come September, when SU returns to the Sprint Field of Shentel Stadium.
There will be plenty of skeptics for sure. But sometimes, all someone needs is to be told they can’t do something as a springboard to success. Good luck Haley, and welcome aboard!
Until the next visit from The Booth…GO HORNETS!
