Antoinette "Toni" Harris (born July 29, 1996) [1] is an American former college football player who was a safety for Central Methodist University in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).[2] She is the first woman to receive a full college football scholarship as a non-specialist, and the second woman to ever play football on scholarship.[3]
| Central Methodist Eagles | |
|---|---|
| Position | Safety |
| Major | Criminal Justice |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 29, 1996 Detroit, Michigan |
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Redford Union High School (Redford, Michigan) |
Early life and family
editAntoinette Harris was born in Detroit, Michigan.[4] She played football for her high school, Redford Union High School, in Redford, Michigan.[4]
College
editTwo years after graduating high school, Harris moved to California to play free safety at East Los Angeles College, where she played for two years (2018–19)[5] under the direction of Head Coach Bobby Godinez. She became the first woman to ever play for East Los Angeles College.[6] She received six offers to play football at four-year universities.
Harris graduated with honors from Central Methodist University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Her athletic eligibility remains available due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She has intended to pursue a Master’s of Science in Criminal Justice at the University of Southern California. She has not decided how she will use eligibility, but she plans to continue playing football.
In media
editIn 2019, she was featured in a Super Bowl commercial for the Toyota RAV4.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Harris, Antoinette. "Thank you God for allowing me to see another birthday, I bless your name. For my heart that beats all day, the eyes you have given me to…". Instagram. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
- ^ Florio, John; Shapiro, Ouisie (August 27, 2019). "Toni Harris made history by getting a football scholarship. Now she needs to make tackles". Andscape. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
- ^ Rittenberg, Adam (18 January 2018). "NAIA school offers scholarship to female safety". ESPN.com.
- ^ a b Johnson, Chris (January 19, 2018). "Antoinette Harris receives college football scholarship". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ "Toni Harris".
- ^ Moriarty, Morgan (18 January 2018). "She might be the 2nd woman to earn a CFB scholarship". SB Nation.
- ^ Malicse, Kristine (4 February 2019). "Female ELAC football player 'inspiring a generation' in Super Bowl commercial". Daily News.
External links
edit- Toni Harris, featured in Super Bowl ad, aspires to be 1st female NFL player (CBS Mornings on YouTube)