In the past decade, a few women have played college football, but only one, Arizona native Becca Longo, has been offered a scholarship for her talents. On April 12, Longo signed a National Letter of Intent and is now slated to attend and kick for Adams State in Colorado, a Division II program.
At Longo’s signing ceremony this month, her high school coach, Gerald Todd, said he had done some research and made the announcement that she was the first woman to ever sign such a letter to play college football at the Division II level or higher.
“I didn’t know that until today,” Longo said in an interview with ESPN. “I’m still in shock from it. I’m just amazed.”
Longo went on an official visit to Adams State in February after the team’s assistant coach met with her at her high school when she contacted him via email. On her visit, she impressed the coaches with her kicking abilities and they made her a scholarship offer, which she accepted on March 4. In the weeks following, she also committed to the basketball team.
Longo is aware she will be required to compete for playing time when she starts her college career, as Adams State currently has a veteran kicker on their roster signed another this year who will also be a freshman in the fall. Despite this, her coaches believe in her fully.
“To me, there is no doubt she can be competitive,” head coach Timm Rosenback told the Arizona Republic. “She has a strong leg, and she can be very accurate.”
In the 2016 spring season Longo was the starting kicker and converted an impressive 92 percent of extra-point attempts and had one field goal attempt from 30 yards out, which was good. The reliability of her team’s quarterback, Arizona State signee Ryan Kelley, allowed her team to go for it on the fourth down, minimizing her attempted field goals. Kelley was ranked 11th nationally in ESPN’s list of dual-threat quarterbacks.
Longo first began kicking after being inspired by her brother’s high school teammate, Heidi Garrett. In 2004, Garrett hit a 48-yard field goal, which is believed to be the longest field goal ever converted by a female football player in history.
“I looked up to her kind of how some girls look up to me now,” Longo told ESPN.
The Adam State Grizzlies compete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and went 8—2 last season, and will look to improve their record in 2017. Their season kicks off on Sept. 2 against Black Hills State University.
