Tonya Butler
Encyclopedia
Tonya Butler is an American athlete who is the first woman ever to score a field goal in a college football
game. She accomplished this feat on September 13, 2003, as a placekicker
for the University of West Alabama
Tigers
, which was competing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division II. She also played women's soccer for Georgia Southern
.
, where she played the placekicker
position for Riverdale High School. She won the starting kicking job when she was in tenth grade
after serving as the junior varsity
kicker for her freshman
year. As a sophomore, Butler converted seven of eight field goal attempts and 28 of 31 extra points
and became the first female to both make the all-area team for Clayton
and Henry Counties
and honorable mention for Class AAA all-state team as picked by the Georgia Sportswriters Association.
Butler converted five of ten field goal attempts and 20 of 23 extra points as a junior; and seven of thirteen field goals and 64-of-65 extra points as a senior. She completed her Riverdale career with 165 total points, for second place all-time in points scored at Riverdale. For her performance on the field, Butler was named to the 1998 Class AAA all-state football team as picked by the Georgia Sportswriters Association as the first female ever selected.
in Division I-A and over two dozen schools in Division I-AA for her services as placekicker. In January 1999 Butler announced she would play college football at Middle Georgia College
for head coach Randy Pippin
and signed a national letter of intent
for a football scholarship to compete as placekicker on February 3, 1999. The signing made Butler the first female to earn a football scholarship
at a state school. During her two years at Middle Georgia, Butler made 36 of 42 extra points and one field goal for the Warriors. After earning her associates degree at Middle Georgia, she did not receive any scholarship offers to compete as a placekicker elsewhere. Butler ended up going to Georgia Southern
where she played soccer and graduated in 2003.
After graduating from Georgia Southern, former Georgia College head coach Randy Pippin, who was now the head coach at West Alabama, offered Butler a scholarship to serve as placekicker for the Tigers. With two years of eligibility remaining, she enrolled as a graduate student and won the starting placekicker position for the Tigers 2003 season. In the first game of the season, Butler scored on a 27-yard field goal attempt against Stillman
with 9:41 remaining in the first quarter. Although initially unconfirmed by the NCAA as gender was not differentiated in their all-time records, it was later confirmed that Butler was the first female to score a field goal in a college football game.
Butler served as placekicker for both the 2003 and 2004 seasons playing for West Alabama. For her career she made 13 of 19 field goal attempts with a long kick of 39 yards, and 48 of 53 in extra point attempts. Her 50 total points made during the 2003 season led the squad, and she was named special teams captain in both her years at West Alabama. Butler also was named Academic All-Gulf South Conference in 2004 and graduated in 2005 with a masters degree in psychology and counseling. In January 2006, her West Alabama helmet, jersey and cleats were displayed at the NCAA Hall of Champions
in Indianapolis
in recognition of her accomplishments as a student-athlete.
Butler held the record for the most points scored by a female college football player with 87 through the 2010 season when Brittany Ryan Lebanon Valley College
established the new mark.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game. She accomplished this feat on September 13, 2003, as a placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
for the University of West Alabama
University of West Alabama
The University of West Alabama is a public university located in Livingston, Alabama, United States. It is currently on probation with its regional accrediting body....
Tigers
West Alabama Tigers
The University of West Alabama currently features 13 sports teams. Men's soccer will become the 14th sport in the fall of 2012. Both the male and female athletic teams are called the West Alabama Tigers. Eleven of the thirteen teams participate in the NCAA's Division II as a member of the Gulf...
, which was competing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division II. She also played women's soccer for Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern Eagles
The Georgia Southern Eagles are the athletic teams of Georgia Southern University. The Eagles compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision and are members of the NCAA Division I Southern Conference...
.
High school
Butler was raised in Fayetteville, GeorgiaFayetteville, Georgia
Fayetteville is a town in Fayette County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,945. The city is the county seat of Fayette County. Fayetteville is located approximately 22 miles from the city of Atlanta....
, where she played the placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
position for Riverdale High School. She won the starting kicking job when she was in tenth grade
Tenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
after serving as the junior varsity
Junior varsity
Primarily in North America, junior varsity or JV players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition , usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team...
kicker for her freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
year. As a sophomore, Butler converted seven of eight field goal attempts and 28 of 31 extra points
Convert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
and became the first female to both make the all-area team for Clayton
Clayton County, Georgia
Clayton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 236,517. The 2008 Census estimate placed the population at 273,718. The county seat is Jonesboro...
and Henry Counties
Henry County, Georgia
Henry County is a growing suburban county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 119,341. As of 2010, the county's population swelled to 203,922, up 70.9% from the previous census and becoming Georgia's 8th most populous county and the 10th fastest growing...
and honorable mention for Class AAA all-state team as picked by the Georgia Sportswriters Association.
Butler converted five of ten field goal attempts and 20 of 23 extra points as a junior; and seven of thirteen field goals and 64-of-65 extra points as a senior. She completed her Riverdale career with 165 total points, for second place all-time in points scored at Riverdale. For her performance on the field, Butler was named to the 1998 Class AAA all-state football team as picked by the Georgia Sportswriters Association as the first female ever selected.
College
During her senior year of high school, Butler received interest from Central MichiganCentral Michigan Chippewas football
The Central Michigan Chippewas football team is a college football program in Division I FBS, representing Central Michigan University. They are a top 25 program in terms of all-time winning percentage and top five amongst all teams from non-BCS automatic qualifying conferences...
in Division I-A and over two dozen schools in Division I-AA for her services as placekicker. In January 1999 Butler announced she would play college football at Middle Georgia College
Middle Georgia College
Middle Georgia College is a publicly supported, residential,charter unit of the University System of Georgia, in the city Cochran in the U.S. state of Georgia. Founded in 1884, the school is the oldest two-year college in the United States. It is currently being transformed into a 4 year college...
for head coach Randy Pippin
Randy Pippin
-Junior college:-References:...
and signed a national letter of intent
National Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
for a football scholarship to compete as placekicker on February 3, 1999. The signing made Butler the first female to earn a football scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
at a state school. During her two years at Middle Georgia, Butler made 36 of 42 extra points and one field goal for the Warriors. After earning her associates degree at Middle Georgia, she did not receive any scholarship offers to compete as a placekicker elsewhere. Butler ended up going to Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern Eagles
The Georgia Southern Eagles are the athletic teams of Georgia Southern University. The Eagles compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision and are members of the NCAA Division I Southern Conference...
where she played soccer and graduated in 2003.
After graduating from Georgia Southern, former Georgia College head coach Randy Pippin, who was now the head coach at West Alabama, offered Butler a scholarship to serve as placekicker for the Tigers. With two years of eligibility remaining, she enrolled as a graduate student and won the starting placekicker position for the Tigers 2003 season. In the first game of the season, Butler scored on a 27-yard field goal attempt against Stillman
Stillman Tigers football
The Stillman Tigers football team represents Stillman College in the NCAA Division II, competing as part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Stillman plays its home games at the 9,000 seat Stillman Stadium, which is located on-campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama...
with 9:41 remaining in the first quarter. Although initially unconfirmed by the NCAA as gender was not differentiated in their all-time records, it was later confirmed that Butler was the first female to score a field goal in a college football game.
Butler served as placekicker for both the 2003 and 2004 seasons playing for West Alabama. For her career she made 13 of 19 field goal attempts with a long kick of 39 yards, and 48 of 53 in extra point attempts. Her 50 total points made during the 2003 season led the squad, and she was named special teams captain in both her years at West Alabama. Butler also was named Academic All-Gulf South Conference in 2004 and graduated in 2005 with a masters degree in psychology and counseling. In January 2006, her West Alabama helmet, jersey and cleats were displayed at the NCAA Hall of Champions
NCAA Hall of Champions
The NCAA Hall of Champions is a museum, exhibition center, and conference center that is located adjacent to the national office of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
in recognition of her accomplishments as a student-athlete.
Butler held the record for the most points scored by a female college football player with 87 through the 2010 season when Brittany Ryan Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College is a small, liberal arts higher education institution situated in the heart of Annville in Lebanon County, east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.-History:...
established the new mark.
See also
- List of female American football players
- Liz HeastonLiz HeastonElizabeth "Liz" Heaston Thompson is an American athlete who is the first woman ever to score in a college football game. She accomplished this feat on October 18, 1997 as a placekicker for the Willamette University Bearcats, which was competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate...
, first female to play and score in a college footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game1997 Linfield vs. Willamette football gameThe 1997 Linfield vs. Willamette football game was a college football game between the and the played on October 18, 1997. The game was played at McCulloch Stadium in Salem, Oregon. Willamette won the game by a score of 27 to 0... - Katie HnidaKatie HnidaKatharine Anne "Katie" Hnida is an American football player who became the first woman to score in an NCAA Division I-A game, college football's highest level...
, the first woman to score in a FBS game - Ashley MartinAshley MartinAshley Martin is an American athlete who became the first woman to play and score in an NCAA Division I American football game, and one of the first ever to score points in any college football game. She accomplished this feat August 30, 2001 as a placekicker for the Jacksonville State University...
, the first female to score in an NCAA game, and the first to score in a Division I game