|  History
of the D.C. Divas
2001
The D.C. Divas made their full-contact football debut. Comprised of women
from varied professional and athletic backgrounds, the team was the first
of its kind in the Washington metropolitan area. On May 12th, 2001 the
Divas won the first game in franchise history, a 10-6 victory over the
visiting Connecticut Crush. The team finished that inaugural season with
a record of 3-5.
2002
The Divas were reenergized by an infusion of new leadership. Two die-hard
fans, Leah Fahringer and Kelly George, purchased the franchise. Second
year Head Coach Ezra Cooper led the Divas to a 5-3 mark, the first winning
record in team history.
2003
A landmark season in team history, punctuated by an impressive list of
franchise firsts. The Divas finished the regular season with a 7-1 record,
en route to a Mid Atlantic Division title. After winning their first ever
post-season game the Divas fell to the Philadelphia Phoenix in round two
of the playoffs. Running back Donna “The Animal” Wilkinson
became the first woman in history to rush for over a thousand yards in
a season (1,267yds).
2004
The Divas won their second straight division title with an undefeated
8-0 regular season record. Home field advantage throughout the playoffs
led to a Northern Conference Championship Game showdown against the Detroit
Demolition. With a trip to the League Title Game on the line the Divas
came up just short, 20-14.
Following the season the Divas partnered with syndicated radio personalities
‘The Sports Junkies’ for a highly successful charity game.
The Divas scored, but eventually lost to their all-male counterparts.
Over 8,000 fans turned out for the event at the Prince George's Sports
and Learning Complex, the largest crowd ever to watch a women’s
tackle football game.
New ownership was also secured late in the year when Paul Hamlin, father
of Divas quarterback Allyson Hamlin, purchased the team.
2005
The Divas marched through another undefeated regular season, which featured
seven shutouts in eight regular season games. Led by the league's leading
defense, the Divas surrendered a league low 56 total points. The equally
rugged offense scored nearly 300 points on the season, while averaging
over three hundred rushing yards per game.
The Divas advanced to the Northern Conference Championship Game for the
second consecutive season, but once again fell to the Detroit Demolition.
The year also saw the team move their home field, from Eastern High School
in Washington, D.C. to nearby Prince George’s County, Maryland.
In addition the Divas unveiled a new uniform design and started a team
newsletter to better serve their loyal fan-base.
2006
The Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex, a modern facility
with state of the art amenities for coaches, players and fans alike, became
the Divas full-time home. The ladies promptly christened their new field
with a perfect home record and another undefeated regular season.
The full roster of
67 players was the largest in the league. By rule only 55 could dress
for any given game, but every player contributed. The Divas defense was
once again dominant, allowing just six points over the course of the first
nine games and only twenty for the entire season. The D.C.offense was
just as imposing, rolling to a scoring average of 47 plus points per game.
Thanks to their impressive
regular season the Divas and Coach of the Year Ezra Cooper had earned
home field advantage as the top-seeded playoff team. An opening week bye
was followed by blow-out victories in the second and third rounds of the
post-season. For the first time in franchise history the D.C. Divas would
play for it all: a league championship.
On Saturday, August 5th, 2006 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania the Divas faced
the Oklahoma City Lightning in the Championship Game. A total team effort
led to a hard fought 28-7 victory. Running back Rachelle Pecovsky and
linebacker Ivy Tillman were honored as the most valuable players on offensive
and defensive, respectively.
Following their championship
season the D.C. Divas joined the Independent
Women's Football League (IWFL). Founded in 2000, the IWFL is a full
tackle, women's football league focused on creating a positive, safe and
fun environment for players and spectators. Currently the IWFL has over
1000 participating women, representing the league across the United States
and Canada.
Back
to top
History
of the League
The Independent
Women's Football League (IWFL) is a full tackle women's football league
focused on creating a positive, safe and fun environment for the women
who play the game and fans that come out to watch them. The IWFL was founded
in 2000 by a group of women dedicated to making the sport a household
name. The IWFL currently has over 1000 women playing the sport for 30
teams across North America from Southern California to Montreal and Oregon
to Florida with consistent expansion into to new markets.
Back
to top |
