A Manitowoc Lincoln athlete is making history.
Ava Quinchia is only the second female athlete in Wisconsin to receive a scholarship to play flag football at the college level.
In fact, she was hand-picked by a recruiter at UW-Parkside.
“I was at the girls’ NFL Open when he came up and talked to me after our second game,” she told SeehaferNews.com. “He told me he wasn’t even looking for a quarterback, but he just saw my outstanding talent and leadership on the field, so he knew he had to come up and talk to me.”
Ava is a multi-sport athlete at Lincoln, but Ava tells us her real dream has always been to play football.
“Basketball was a hobby I picked up in fifth grade, and yeah, it was going to be fun to pursue, but football, I’ve been playing my whole life and it’s just always been a dream,” she explained. “Seeing it become such a big thing and with me being able to go play in college just means a lot to me and my family.”
She admits that the gravity of being a groundbreaker in the state hasn’t really sunk in yet.
“It kind of just feels like, unreal,” she said. “I don’t even know how to feel. It’s insane.”
For young girls who want to follow in her footsteps, Ava said the key thing is to put in the work, and opportunities will come.
