Toni Harris
| 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) |
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]
Early life and family
[edit]Antoinette Harris was born in Detroit, Michigan.[4] She played football for her high school, Redford Union High School, in Redford, Michigan.[4]
College
[edit]Two 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
[edit]In 2019, she was featured in a Super Bowl commercial for the Toyota RAV4.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[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)
- 1996 births
- Living people
- Players of American football from Detroit
- Female players of American football
- 21st-century American sportswomen
- Bethany College (Kansas) alumni
- East Los Angeles College alumni
- Players of American football from Los Angeles
- 21st-century African-American sportspeople
- 21st-century African-American sportswomen
- People from Redford, Michigan
- Players of American football from Wayne County, Michigan