Vixen Week 1 Round Up
In their first contest of the 2022 WFA season, the Minnesota Vixen needed just one offensive play to get on the board. After receiving the opening kickoff, Minnesota rookie quarterback Erin Kelley lofted a beautiful play-action strike to All-American Sam Barber down the left sideline for a 51-yard score. The Vixen would eventually notch a 55-0 victory over the Iowa Phoenix at Edina’s Kuhlman Field. After a three and out by Iowa, the Vixen started off the next drive with a 26-yard run by 2021 WFA Offensive Player of the Year, Grace Cooper. Unfortunately, Cooper was injured on the play and would not return, but the duo of Jesse Haas and and Tasheanna Washington-Ware handled the run game for the rest of the night with a combined 158 yards and all but one of the Vixen’s remaining scores on offense. Running backs coach Matt O’Keefe was very proud of his charges, saying they stepped up brilliantly and proved that no matter who is in the backfield for the Vixen, defenses should be very concerned. Iowa, a scrappy and much improved team that hopes to contend for a WFA Division 3 title this year, made several trips deep into Minnesota territory but miscues kept them scoreless, including a goal line fumble that Minnesota was able to turn into a 7-play, 99-yard touchdown drive. Barber had an excellent night on both sides of the ball, adding two sacks and another touchdown to the Vixen cause. Linebacker Ace Theissen, back in the Vixen den after a year off, celebrated their return with five tackles, two pass breakups and two interceptions, one for a 51-yard pick 6. The defense as a whole had a great outing, with rookie Megan Dixon adding another pick 6 from 56 yards out and 27 different players notching at least one tackle. But as the saying goes the devil is in the details, and Minnesota will have a devil of a time if they don’t take care of details this coming Saturday in the WFA Game of the Week against the St. Louis Slam, who knocked the Vixen out of the WFA Division 2 playoffs in 2019. According to offensive coordinator Shaun Mattson, this week is about playing a cleaner game, and eliminating turnovers and penalties. We did a lot of nice things against Iowa, he said, but this week is about taking the next step because when we execute our jobs, we are incredibly difficult to stop. And on the other side of the ball, defensive line coach Bruce Brevitz said his group will be emphasizing ball awareness and being careful not to over penetrate and take themselves out of the play. The Slam, who are back in action after a 30-month hiatus and fresh off a 14-6 victory over the Columbus Chaos, will be looking to continue their quest for a fifth championship, and their first as a WFA Pro team. Although the past matchups with St. Louis certainly mean many Minnesota players have had Saturday’s date circled in red since this year’s schedule was released, Vixen Head Coach Ryan McCauley says his message for the week is that this year’s teams are different animals and this is just another game against a talented, well-coached team. McCauley, also the team's defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, says the Slam have a solid scheme that demands opponents bring sound fundamentals and aggressive pursuit. St. Louis also stresses defenses by lining up on the ball and calling a play from the sideline, and is unafraid to throw in gadget or trick plays at any time. It will be a challenge, but one that both players and coaches are ready to face. Tickets to Saturday night’s game are on sale now at mnvixen.com, and the game will be carried by Town Square TV and nationally televised on For the Fans Network. Check our Facebook page for links and details!VIXEN GO INTERNATIONAL
This season the Minnesota Vixen is breaking new ground signing international footballer, Jonna Tuovinen from Finland to their 2022 roster.
Tuovinen is expected to be a presence in the Vixen secondary along with veteran players like Amanda Atkins, Caitlin Hill, Mikaila Soule and Crystal Ninas. Tuovinen will have her work cut out for her with stiff competition from vets and second year player Jamie Karshbaum and several promising rookies, all vying for spots in the secondary.
Tuovinen is no stranger to competition though. She is captain of her team in Finland, the Tampere Saints Naiset. She is also a fixture on the Finland National Team since 2016 and won the European Championship with Finland in 2019. After watching film on Tuovinen, Vixen owner, Laura Brown, states she can see why Tuovinen was named an All-Star player in both 2019 and 2020.
In 2016, the Vixen rostered Claudia Gorynski originally from Germany. Gorynski was in Minnesota on a student visa completing her graduate work in nano-engineering at the University of Minnesota. While Gorynski may have originated from overseas, she was new to the sport of football. Tuovinen marks an important distinction as the first international player traveling to the states for the sole purpose of playing football for the Vixen. "I think this shows how far the Vixen program has grown and demonstrates how widely it is respected." says Brown.
Tuovinen is expected to join the Vixen team at practices in early March and states she is ready for the challenge.
To learn more about Tuovinen or help support her travels to the states, visit https://www.mnvixen.com/player/jonna-tuovinen/
TRYOUTS!
The field was fully of energy the Vixen gathered for the first tryout of the 2022 season. Veteran players were all smiles as they came together for the first time on the field since the championship game that ended their 2021 season. Not to be outdone by the returning players, the new recruits were eager and cheering each other on. The talent was apparent on all sides, as was their drive and the support for one another. Since 1999, the Vixen have been trail blazers in this sport for women. In a single season, they can take a recruit who has never stepped on the gridiron before to being an impact player on their roster. Not a roster for just any team but one for a championship caliber team. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication from the rookies but the payoff is huge when they step out under the lights, fans cheering them on. The Vixen are holding their final tryout on Oct. 16. See if you have what it takes to be a champion.Championship Game Preview
Get the inside scoop of this week's WFA Division 1 Championship game between the Minnesota Vixen and the Boston Renegades.Game Highlights WFA American Conference Championship
Game highlights from last nights WFA football D1 American Conference Championship courtesy of Town Square TV.
Click here to view.
Olympian Grace McCallum Honorary Vixen Captain
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7-9-2021 The Minnesota Vixen are excited to announce that prior to their Women’s Football Alliance American Conference Championship Game, United States Olympian Grace McCallum will be an honorary captain and take part in the ceremonial coin toss. Grace McCallum (born October 30, 2002) is an American artistic gymnast and a five-time member of the United States women's national gymnastics team, having first been added in 2018. She is the 2018 Pan American and 2018 Pacific Rim individual all-around champion, the 2018 Pan American uneven bars champion, and was a member of the U.S. gymnastics team that won gold at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships and the 2018 Pan American Championships. McCallum is set to represent the United States at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the four-person team. The Minnesota Vixen are the longest continuously operating women’s tackle football team in the nation. Established in 1999 they play in the Women’s Football Alliance Division 1 American Conference. Saturday’s game is scheduled for a 7:00 pm central time kickoff. The game will be played at Kuhlman Field in Edina. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.