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CNN Live Today
Historical Football Footnote
Aired December 26, 2002 - 11:28 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The kick was no good, but the kicker made history. Katie Nyda became the first woman to play in a Division I-A college football game during the Las Vegas Bowl yesterday. Her attempt at an extra point was blocked, and her New Mexico team lost to UCLA 27-13. But she earned a football footnote in college sports history anyway. And joining us to talk more about the female football player is Ray D'Alessio.
And you know what, so what she didn't make the point, at least she made history, right?
RAY D'ALESSIO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: But I do have a problem with this whole thing. Yes, she missed it, and as a former college kicker myself, she was not given the opportunity to redeem herself.
Again, New Mexico scored with like five and a half minutes left in the game. You're down two touchdowns anyhow. Let her are have a chance to redeem herself. Didn't do it. But again...
WHITFIELD: Next bowl, next game.
D'ALESSIO: She's the first player in division I-A, or first female to play in a Division I-A game. Again, There have been other women who have played in college football games. In 1997, Liz Heaton, she became the first female to play in a football game, scoring two extra points for Wilhemette (ph) University, which was then a NAIA school, NAIA being a smaller division.
Katie Nyda, though, the first to play in a Division I-A game. That's the highest division in college football, also referred to, Fredricka, as bigtime college football, and she's got such a great attitude, too. You know, she made the team on new Mexico earlier this year, and it's great, because the head coach even said, when he saw film of her, didn't realize she was a female.
WHITFIELD: She was a walk-on?
D'ALESSIO: She used to play for Colorado, sent tapes, took a few years off sent tapes to New Mexico, one of the schools she sent, they invited her to walk on, she made the team; one of nine kickers to try out for the team and make it.
WHITFIELD: Not a lot of brouhaha over her?
D'ALESSIO: Not a lot of brouhaha, but if you check some of her stats in high school, and I've got admit, she had better stats in high school than I did. I've got the stats here 83 of 87 on point after attempts, 4 of 5 on field goals. Her longest being 37 yards in high school, played in Littleton, Colorado.
So just a great story, but again, I think they should have given her a chance. And she was not expected to even play in this game, but Rocky Long said she earned the opportunity. Reason why she wasn't expected to play in the game, not because she is a female, but because she is officially listed on the third string, and third-stringers, according to coach Long, do not play in a game unless obviously needed or in a bowl game. But he says she earned the opportunity.
WHITFIELD: I bet there are some interesting arrangements being made in the locker room.
D'ALESSIO: She even admitted it. She says, whatever the situation is, I'll take it. She's had to change behind chalkboards. She's had to change in the back of the bus. She's had to change in broom closets. But in the end, I mean, she's just a great sport.
WHITFIELD: I think now they'll be making special arrangements for Katie Nyda.
D'ALESSIO: If you didn't know who Katie Nyda was before, now you do.
WHITFIELD: Thanks a lot, Ray. Thanks for filling us in on that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 26, 2002 - 11:28 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The kick was no good, but the kicker made history. Katie Nyda became the first woman to play in a Division I-A college football game during the Las Vegas Bowl yesterday. Her attempt at an extra point was blocked, and her New Mexico team lost to UCLA 27-13. But she earned a football footnote in college sports history anyway. And joining us to talk more about the female football player is Ray D'Alessio.
And you know what, so what she didn't make the point, at least she made history, right?
RAY D'ALESSIO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: But I do have a problem with this whole thing. Yes, she missed it, and as a former college kicker myself, she was not given the opportunity to redeem herself.
Again, New Mexico scored with like five and a half minutes left in the game. You're down two touchdowns anyhow. Let her are have a chance to redeem herself. Didn't do it. But again...
WHITFIELD: Next bowl, next game.
D'ALESSIO: She's the first player in division I-A, or first female to play in a Division I-A game. Again, There have been other women who have played in college football games. In 1997, Liz Heaton, she became the first female to play in a football game, scoring two extra points for Wilhemette (ph) University, which was then a NAIA school, NAIA being a smaller division.
Katie Nyda, though, the first to play in a Division I-A game. That's the highest division in college football, also referred to, Fredricka, as bigtime college football, and she's got such a great attitude, too. You know, she made the team on new Mexico earlier this year, and it's great, because the head coach even said, when he saw film of her, didn't realize she was a female.
WHITFIELD: She was a walk-on?
D'ALESSIO: She used to play for Colorado, sent tapes, took a few years off sent tapes to New Mexico, one of the schools she sent, they invited her to walk on, she made the team; one of nine kickers to try out for the team and make it.
WHITFIELD: Not a lot of brouhaha over her?
D'ALESSIO: Not a lot of brouhaha, but if you check some of her stats in high school, and I've got admit, she had better stats in high school than I did. I've got the stats here 83 of 87 on point after attempts, 4 of 5 on field goals. Her longest being 37 yards in high school, played in Littleton, Colorado.
So just a great story, but again, I think they should have given her a chance. And she was not expected to even play in this game, but Rocky Long said she earned the opportunity. Reason why she wasn't expected to play in the game, not because she is a female, but because she is officially listed on the third string, and third-stringers, according to coach Long, do not play in a game unless obviously needed or in a bowl game. But he says she earned the opportunity.
WHITFIELD: I bet there are some interesting arrangements being made in the locker room.
D'ALESSIO: She even admitted it. She says, whatever the situation is, I'll take it. She's had to change behind chalkboards. She's had to change in the back of the bus. She's had to change in broom closets. But in the end, I mean, she's just a great sport.
WHITFIELD: I think now they'll be making special arrangements for Katie Nyda.
D'ALESSIO: If you didn't know who Katie Nyda was before, now you do.
WHITFIELD: Thanks a lot, Ray. Thanks for filling us in on that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
