April Goss is a fifth-year senior kicker for Kent State University’s football team, and last week she accomplished something on the gridiron that only one woman had done before.
Goss kicked an extra point in a blowout win over Delaware State to become the second female in Division I football history to score a point. The first was Katie Hnida, who kicked extra points for New Mexico in 2003, according to Times Online.
“I really don’t have words,” Goss said. “It’s kind of incredible to think that it actually happened.”
Thank you everyone for all your love and support & thank you Jesus! Hard work pays off. most importantly we got that W tonight ⚡️#GoFlashes
— April Goss (@April_Goss) September 13, 2015
Whether Goss gets on the field against the Gophers is unknown. She’s the backup kicker on the team so she normally doesn’t play. Regardless, history has been made.
“I would love another chance,” she said, via Fox Sports. “But what I’d like more is for us to make it to a bowl game and win, that would be more special.”
Kent State comes to TCF Bank Stadium Saturday as a 24-point underdog, according to Vegas Insider.
“It comes down to preparation and staying within ourselves, doing the things we have to do to win,” Kent State head coach Paul Haynes said, according to Ohio.com. “Minnesota’s different from a lot of teams. They’re comfortable in their skin. They do what they do, and they do it well.”
The Los Angeles Times says that tracking the number of women who have simply been on a Division I football roster is hard to do, but it appears Goss is the only female on a Division I roster this year.
USA Today has more on Goss’ path to the kicking in college.
