As Jacksonville State's placekicker, Ashley Martin became the first woman to play and score in an NCAA Division I football game, converting three extra points.
On August 30, 2001, in Jacksonville, Alabama, Ashley Martin made history by becoming the first woman to play and score in an NCAA Division I football game. As the placekicker for Jacksonville State University, she successfully converted three extra points during a lopsided 72–10 victory over Cumberland University.
This achievement shattered a long-standing gender barrier in one of America's most traditionally male-dominated sports. Prior to Martin, no woman had ever taken the field, let alone scored, in a Division I football contest — the highest level of college football competition in the United States.
Martin's path to this moment was built on years of dedicated kicking practice and a proven track record as a multi-sport athlete at Jacksonville State, where she also competed for the women's soccer team. Her coaches and teammates recognized her leg strength and accuracy, ultimately trusting her with in-game placekicking duties.
The historic kicks were more than a statistical footnote; they represented a watershed moment for gender equality in collegiate athletics, proving that talent, not gender, should determine eligibility to compete at the sport's highest levels. Martin's achievement opened doors for future women aspiring to compete in traditionally male sports and remains a touchstone reference point whenever the topic of gender barriers in football arises.
Her performance was widely covered by national media and cemented her place in NCAA history as a pioneering figure.