The Huntsville Tigers is a women's American football team located in Huntsville, Alabama. The Tigers played their first season of full-contact football in the spring of 2012. This was the Tigers' first season as a new team. The team consists of former Alabama Renegades and Tennessee Valley Tigers players as well as a number of new players.
History Alabama Renegades Women's football has existed in the Huntsville area since the fall of 2000 when the Alabama Renegades first came into existence. The Renegades were one of the founding teams of the National Women's Football Association (NWFA). In the fall 2000, the Alabama Renegades and the Nashville Dream played a six-game exhibition season to determine the viability of a women's full-contact football league. The exhibition games were a huge success and the National Women's Football Association (NWFA) expanded to 12 teams in its first full season of play in the spring of 2001. Ray Quinn was the man who first brought full-contact football to Huntsville and he owned the team for two years.
Nancy Byrd, a Renegades player, took over the team from Quinn in 2003. Byrd continued to play for the Renegades while owning the team. At the end of the 2008 season Byrd retired from playing and put the team up for sale. Byrd later stated: "I decided to retire from playing and no one was willing to take on the responsibility of running this team. I appreciate the opportunity Ray and Catherine Masters (NWFA founder) gave me to play football", stated Byrd. The NWFA league ceased operations that same year.
Tennessee Valley Tigers
Carlos Mathews, the former offensive coordinator for the Renegades, realized the potential for women's football in the Huntsville area and decided to explore ways to bring the game back for a 2009 season. Mathews researched several leagues but only found one with the stability needed to support women's football in the Huntsville Area. The Tigers officially joined the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL) on August 12, 2008, as a Tier II team. On October 24, 2011, after learning that Carlos Matthews wasn't bringing the team back, former player Carmelesia Sullivan looked into forming a team.Pretty Tough.comBoo's Unofficial Guide to Women's Tackle Football
Huntsville Tigers Sullivan formed the Huntsville Tigers from former Tennessee Valley Tigers players. In the first season of play, the Tigers finished with a 5–3 record, losing twice to the Chattanooga Locomotion - another Tier II team - and once to the Atlanta Xplosion - a Tier I team in 2009. The Tigers also defeated then ranked number seven Clarksville Fox who in the 2008 season had competed for the Independent Women's Football League Tier II championship. The Tigers played their home games at Milton Frank Stadium in Huntsville, Alabama. Because of the devastating effects of the 2011 Super Outbreak, the Tigers had to forfeit their final two regular-season games. On August 30, the Tigers announced they had left the IWFL to join the WSFL.
Season-by-season
|2000 || 3 || 3 || 0 || Exhibition Season || -- |- |2001 || 5 || 3 || 0 || 2nd Southern || -- |- |2002 || 7 || 2 || 0 || 1st Central || Lost Southern Conference Semifinal (Pensacola) |- |2003 || 7 || 4 || 0 || 2nd Southern Central || Won Southern Conference Quarterfinal (Asheville)Lost Southern Conference Semifinal (Pensacola) |- |2004 || 6 || 3 || 0 || 2nd Southern Gulf Coast || -- |- |2005 || 5 || 3 || 0 || 7th Southern || --
|2006 || 4 || 4 || 0 || 3rd Southern Southeast || --
|2007 || 3 || 5 || 0 || 3rd Southern Central || --
|2008 || 2 || 6 || 0 || 4th Southern East || --
!Totals || 42 || 33 || 0 || || |- |colspan="2"|
| colspan="6" align="center" | Tennessee Valley Tigers (IWFL) |- |2009 || 5 || 3 || 0 || 10th Tier II || -- |- |2010 || 4 || 4 || 0 || 3rd Tier II East Southeast || -- |- |2011 || 1 || 7 || 0 || 5th East Mid-South || -- |- | colspan="6" align="center" | Tennessee Valley Tigers (WSFL) |- |2012* || -- || -- || -- || -- || -- |- !Totals || 10 || 14 || 0 |colspan="2"|
* = Current Standing
2011 schedule DateOpponentHome/AwayTimeEvent titleResultApril 9Memphis BellesAway7pmN/AL, 12-16April 16Clarksville FoxAway7pmN/AL, 6-32April 23Georgia PeachezHome7pmTBAW, 2-0**April 30ByeMay 7Memphis BellesHome4pmTBAL, 6-32May 14Clarksville FoxHome7pmN/AL, 6-12May 21Clarksville FoxHome7pmTBAL, 6-22May 28Chattanooga LocomotionAway7pmBattle for the Border Rivalry GameL, 0-2***June 4ByeJune 11Atlanta XplosionHome7pmTBAL, 0-2
** = Won by forfeit *** = Forfeited
Single season records DateName RecordResult2009Alber, MartySeason Passing Leader917 yards2009Alber, MartySeason Passing TD Leader15 2009Bady, StarrySeason Receiving TD Leader42009Harvey, StephanieSeason Receiving Leader210 yards2009Suttles, MarshekaSeason Rushing TD Leader62009White, KatieField Goal Leader22009White, KatieExtra Point Completed162009Bady, StarryInterception Yards55 yards2009Hendrix, DanielleLeading Tackler412009Team OffenseMost Points in a Single Game682009Team DefenseMost shutouts in a season42010White, KatieLongest Kickoff Return for TD70 yards2010Eatman, DionneSeason Rushing Yards Leader496 yards2010Eatman, DionneSingle Game Rushing Yards174 yards
2011 roster Player Position Number Carmela Sullivan DB 22 Carmelesia Sullivan DB 23 Carson Wakefield OL 84 Cheronda "Rock" Phillips RB 50 Christina Whitney DB/K 51 Lauren "LC" Coleman DB 9 Sharessa "TJ" Allen DB 82 Sonia Leggs RB/WR 34 Franchesca Atkins QB/WR/CB Nina Cook RB/WR TBA Shelley Drake DE TBA Chasity Herron WR/LB TBA Becky Hensel QB/WR TBA Hayley Howard LB 55 Monique Jefferson OL/DT TBA Shana Levett CB TBA Heidi McQuire DL/OL/FB TBA Mosheda Pettus TE/DE TBA Yvette Price TBA TBA Aisha Robinson C/OL TBA Jayme Truitt WR/CB TBA Liz Wilson QB/WR/CB TBA
2012 season Reg Schedule Home Away Score 4/28 Huntsville Tigers Memphis Dynasty 16-6 L 5/28 Huntsville Tigers Arkansas Rampage 32-0 W 5/12 Carolina Queens Huntsville Tigers 22-19 L 6/2 Arkansas Rampage Huntsville Tigers 41-0 W 6/9 Cape Fear Thunder Huntsville Tigers 40-0 W 6/23 Huntsville Tigers Cape Fear Thunder 50-0 W 6/30 Tri-State Bruisers Huntsville Tigers 2-0 W 7/7 Huntsville Tigers Tri-State Bruisers 2-0 W Playoffs 7/21 Game won due to forfeit of other team 2-0 W 7/28 New Jersey Titans Huntsville Tigers 26-6 L
Staff Owner/Offensive Coordinator - Carlos Mathews Offensive Line Coach - Ella Banghart Assistant Defensive Coach - JJ Johnson Delegate - Brady Wakefield Marketing/Sales - Jamie Flynt Acting General Manager - Carson Wakefield
Notes
External links Tennessee Valley Tigers official website