Liz Heaston

Early Life and Background

Elizabeth "Liz" Heaston Thompson was born in 1977 and grew up in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.[1][5][9] While many popular accounts highlight her later role in college football history, less public information is available about her family background and childhood, and reliable sources focus primarily on her collegiate athletic career. What is clear from university and media profiles is that she developed into an exceptional multi-sport athlete by the time she reached college, with soccer as her primary sport.[1][6]

Heaston enrolled at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, a small liberal-arts institution that competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) at the time.[1][3][6] Willamette’s environment—a close-knit campus with strong ties between athletics and academics—proved conducive to her growth as both a student and athlete. She quickly became a standout on the women’s soccer team, earning recognition beyond her conference.

Collegiate Soccer Career

Before she ever stepped onto a football field, Liz Heaston built a formidable resume in women’s soccer. At Willamette, she played for the Bearcats’ women’s soccer team throughout her undergraduate years, emerging as one of the program’s key contributors.[1][6] According to a feature published by Willamette athletics, her soccer career culminated in a 1998 season that "capped off" her time with the team, during which she helped the Bearcats capture four conference titles by the end of that season.[6]

Heaston’s individual excellence was recognized at the national level. She earned NAIA Honorable Mention All-American honors in both 1996 and 1997, reflecting her status as one of the better players in the country for small-college soccer.[1][6][9] These distinctions came from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, which oversees athletic competition for many smaller institutions in the United States. Being twice named Honorable Mention All-American indicates consistent high-level performance and places her among the top tier of NAIA players in those seasons.

Within the program, Heaston was described as a "star" of Willamette women’s soccer, valued for her skill, competitiveness, and leadership.[6][9] Her soccer background—particularly her ability to strike the ball with accuracy and power—directly contributed to the opportunity that would make her a historic figure in another sport.

Transition to Football and the 1997 Season

In 1997, the Willamette Bearcats football team, coached by Dan Hawkins, faced a practical problem: injuries had depleted the roster of placekickers.[7][8] Seeking a reliable leg, Hawkins turned to the women’s soccer team and approached Liz Heaston. Her proven ability to kick a ball under pressure and her reputation as a dedicated athlete made her a compelling candidate to fill the vacancy.

According to multiple accounts, Hawkins invited Heaston to join the football team roughly three weeks before the crucial mid-season game against Linfield College.[6][8] During that brief period, she practiced with the football squad, learning the nuances of placekicking—stance, timing, snap-hold-kick mechanics, and the different trajectory required for a football compared with a soccer ball. She also had to adjust mentally to entering a male-dominated sport and performing under scrutiny from teammates, opponents, and the media.

Heaston joined Willamette’s football roster as a backup placekicker for the 1997 season.[1][6] The team itself was highly competitive; Willamette would go on to complete an unbeaten regular season and later reach the 1997 NAIA National Championship game, losing narrowly to Findlay.[4][8] Against this backdrop of a strong and ambitious football program, Heaston’s inclusion was driven by competitive need rather than publicity alone.

Historic Football Debut: October 18, 1997

On October 18, 1997, Willamette hosted Linfield College at McCulloch Stadium in Salem, Oregon, in a matchup that would become one of the most storied games in small-college football history.[3] Earlier that day, Heaston had played in a women’s soccer match against Linfield; Willamette won that game as well, but she left quickly afterward, rushing to join the football team and prepare for kickoff.[6]

The football contest itself unfolded as a dominant performance by Willamette. The Bearcats controlled the game and built a solid lead, creating a scenario in which head coach Dan Hawkins felt comfortable sending his backup placekicker into action.[3][4] Near the end of the first half, with Willamette ahead and looking to convert a point-after-touchdown (PAT), Hawkins called on Liz Heaston.

Heaston entered the game and, with 57 seconds remaining in the first half, successfully kicked the extra point, extending Willamette’s lead to 14–0.[4] By doing so, she became the first woman ever to play in a college football game and simultaneously the first woman to score points in a college football game, as confirmed by contemporary news reports and later historical retrospectives.[1][2][3][4][7][14] Her second successful PAT came in the fourth quarter, further contributing to the Bearcats’ eventual 27–0 victory over Linfield.[3][4]

Contemporary coverage in outlets such as the Deseret News described her as a "woman kicker" who "made football history," emphasizing both her status as a trailblazer and her competence.[2] She was 20 years old at the time and had not anticipated the level of media attention that followed, noting in interviews that she knew some publicity was likely but was surprised by its intensity.[2][7] Local and national media quickly seized upon the story, highlighting her performance as a symbol of changing attitudes toward women in traditionally male domains.

Scope and Nature of Her Football Career

Liz Heaston’s football career at Willamette was brief but significant. She played in two games for the Bearcats and attempted a total of four extra points, successfully converting two.[1][8][14] Her participation was limited to kicking duties; she was not a position player in the offensive or defensive units, which was typical for many specialist kickers.

Despite the short duration, her football experience had enduring implications. The College Football Hall of Fame preserves her cleats and helmet from the October 18 game in its archives, explicitly noting that they were worn by the "first woman to play and score in a college football game".[8][13] This institutional recognition situates her accomplishment within the broader narrative of college football history, confirming both the authenticity and the perceived importance of her role.

Subsequent articles and lists chronicling women in gridiron football consistently cite Heaston as the first woman to play and score in a college football game, distinguishing her role from later pioneers in NCAA Division I and other levels.[4][14][15][16] While a few secondary sources have introduced minor factual errors—such as misreporting the score or opponent in the historic game—consensus among primary and reputable secondary sources affirms that the key milestone occurred in the 27–0 victory over Linfield on October 18, 1997.[1][3][4][13][14]

Awards, Honors, and Recognition

Beyond her NAIA Honorable Mention All-American soccer honors in 1996 and 1997, Heaston’s football accomplishment brought her a wave of recognition both inside and outside sports circles.[1][6] Media coverage in 1997 framed her as a barrier-breaking athlete who expanded the possibilities for women in college athletics.[2][7] Her story has been repeatedly revisited in later features, especially during anniversaries or in the context of new milestones for women in football.

The Heisman Trophy Trust, in a Women’s History Month article celebrating firsts by women’s college football players, places Liz Heaston at the beginning of its narrative, noting that she was the "first woman to play and score in a college football game" and recounting her performance on October 18, 1997.[4] This positioning by a prominent institution associated with college football underscores the lasting importance of her achievement.

Her role also appears in compilations such as the List of female gridiron football players on Wikipedia, where she is cited as a foundational figure in the history of women in the sport.[14][15] The presence of her equipment in the College Football Hall of Fame archives constitutes another form of honor, functioning as a tangible, curated acknowledgment of her pioneering status.[8][13]

Personal Life and Professional Career After College

Following her graduation from Willamette University, Liz Heaston Thompson pursued a career outside the public spotlight typically associated with professional athletes. Available sources indicate that she continued to work in or around athletics and higher education, though detailed, reliably sourced biographical information about her post-collegiate professional path is limited.[1][6][11]

A 2013 feature from Willamette highlights the "Heaston sisters" and notes that their success at Willamette translated into later achievements, suggesting that Liz maintained strong ties to the athletic community.[6] Some later coverage and commentary have associated her with ongoing involvement in college athletics operations, but such claims often lack direct primary sourcing and therefore must be treated cautiously.[11] Publicly accessible, authoritative sources do not provide detailed information on her marital status, children, or other aspects of her private life, and most profiles respect that privacy.

Unlike many high-profile athletes, Heaston has not cultivated an extensive public persona through widely verified personal social media accounts or celebrity branding. Her historical significance rests primarily on her athletic achievements rather than on a continuing media presence.

Legacy and Historical Impact

Liz Heaston’s legacy is rooted in her role as a pioneer for women in college football. Prior to her 1997 appearance, no woman had played and scored in a college football game, and the idea of women participating in gridiron football—even as kickers—was largely outside mainstream expectations.[1][3][4][14] Her successful PATs in a live collegiate game demonstrated that a woman could contribute competitively in this environment.

Subsequent developments in women’s participation in football often reference Heaston’s milestone as a starting point. When other women, such as Ashley Martin, Tonya Butler, Brittany Ryan, and more recently Haley Van Voorhis, achieved their own "firsts" at various collegiate levels or positions, media stories contextualized their feats within a lineage that begins with Heaston’s 1997 game.[15][16] She is frequently cited when reporters or historians trace the evolution of women’s roles—from kickers to non-kicker players—in college football.

Her story also intersects with broader conversations about gender equity in sports. While Title IX had been in effect for decades by 1997, significant gender disparities remained in opportunity, resources, and representation, particularly in high-contact sports like football. Heaston’s appearance did not, by itself, transform these structural dynamics, but it provided a visible example that challenged assumptions and opened space for coaches and administrators to consider women in roles previously regarded as off-limits.[4][15]

The preservation of her equipment in the College Football Hall of Fame and continued references to her in institutional and journalistic accounts indicate that her legacy endures not merely as a curiosity but as a recognized chapter in the ongoing history of women’s sports.[8][13][14] She stands as a symbol of how individual opportunities—rooted in practical athletic needs—can become catalysts for broader cultural shifts.

Later Life and Continuing Relevance

As of the latest available reliable sources, Liz Heaston Thompson is alive, and her 1997 achievement continues to be revisited whenever new milestones for women in football occur. For example, when Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller or Division III player Haley Van Voorhis made headlines, media outlets and public radio reports pointed back to Heaston as the first woman to play and score in a college football game.[10][15]

Video features and archival segments, such as those produced by KGW and other regional media outlets, have invited Heaston to reflect on her experience decades later.[10][12] In these appearances, she typically emphasizes the team-first nature of her role, the support she received from teammates and coaches, and her view that she was simply doing a job on behalf of her program. This perspective aligns with contemporary reports from 1997 that stressed her legitimacy as a player rather than as a publicity device.[2][7]

While detailed information about her recent professional activities is sparse in publicly verifiable sources, the enduring citation of her name in discussions of women’s progress in football ensures that her historical significance remains intact. Her story is regularly used in educational and commemorative contexts—such as Women’s History Month pieces and retrospective articles on women in sports—to illustrate how incremental breakthroughs help reshape long-standing cultural landscapes.[4][11]

In sum, Liz Heaston occupies a distinctive place in sports history as the first woman to play and score in a college football game, supported by her broader record as a two-time NAIA Honorable Mention All-American in soccer and a member of multiple conference championship teams. Her achievement, concentrated in a single October afternoon in 1997, has echoed for decades as a touchstone in the evolving story of women in gridiron football.