By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LA VERNE, Calif. -- On Saturday, Sept. 14, place-kicker Kyla Gordon (Fy., PK, Salem, OR/West Salem HS) became the third woman in the history of Willamette University to play and score in a college football game. She joined Liz Heaston (Thompson) and KayLyn Stirton as women who have competed and put points on the scoreboard for the Bearcats.

Heaston (Thompson) was the first women at any four-year college or university to play and score in a game. She went 2 for 2 on extra points against Linfield College on Oct. 18, 1997. She also played against Southern Oregon University that season. Stirton first played and scored against Pacific University on Nov. 14, 2017. Stirton also competed in Willamette's next game, and returned to play in seven games in 2018.

Gordon connected on 3 of 5 extra point attempts in Willamette's 43-33 loss at the University of La Verne on Saturday. It was the first time that a first-year woman student-athlete has played and scored for Willamette. Heaston (Thompson) and Stirton were both juniors when they first kicked for the Bearcats.

After a solid high school career as a place-kicker at nearby West Salem High School, Gordon will have her first chance to play in front of a Willamette home crowd on Saturday, Sept. 21, when the Bearcats host Occidental College at 12 p.m. (PDT).

For Gordon, joining the Willamette football team as a first-year student has meant more than just playing a sport. It has given her a sense of belonging to a group.

"In terms of place kicking in college I couldn't be happier with my choice to come to Willamette. I left the first night of camp and was just so overwhelmed with joy and happiness. I felt like I had really found a home in this football program, which is something I'm not sure I've really experienced before. At least not like this. All of the guys are welcoming and supportive, although it did take them a while to realize that my kicking style was a little different than others they've seen. I'm so excited to take the experiences on Saturday and learn from them this week so we can go out this Saturday and play our best football against Occidental."
— Willamette football place-kicker Kyla Gordon