D.C. Divas

D.C. Divas
Founded	2000
League	NWFA (2001-2006) IWFL (2007-2010) WFA (2011-present)
Team history	D.C. Divas (2001-present)
Stadium	Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex
Based in	Landover, Maryland
Team colors	Burgundy, gold, white
Owner	Paul Hamlin
Head coach	Tim Smart
Championships	1 (NWFA: 2006)
Division titles	8 (NWFA: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) (IWFL: 2007, 2009, 2010) (WFA: 2011)

The D.C. Divas are a football team in the Women's Football Alliance. Based in the Washington Metropolitan Area, the Divas play their home games in Landover (where the NFL's Washington Redskins' home stadium FedEx Field is located) at Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex.

History

2001

The Divas were formed in 2000 to be one of the charter franchises of the National Women's Football Association. The first women's football team in the nation's capital, the Divas were coached by Ezra Cooper. Their first win came on May 13, with a 10-6 victory at home against the Connecticut Crush. The Divas would finish their inaugural season with a 3-5 record, the team's only losing season to date.

2002

Purchased by Lee Fahringer and Kelly George, the Divas would finish 5-3, the first of six consecutive winning seasons.

2003

The 2003 season is considered by many to be the birth of the Divas' dynasty. Finishing the regular-season 7-1, the team clinched their first of five consecutive playoff berths and division titled as well. After defeating the Connecticut Crush in their first ever playoff game, the Divas fell to the Philadelphia Phoenix in the second round. Running back Donna "The Animal" Wilkinson became the first running back in women's football history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season (she rushed for 1,267 total yards)

2004

Winning their second consecutive division title by finishing 8-0, the Divas clinched home-field advantage throughout the Northern Conference playoffs. After a first-round bye and defeating the Southwest Michigan Jaguars in the conference semifinals, the Divas lost to the eventual NWFA Champion Detroit Demolition in the Northern Conference Championship Game.

Following the season, the Divas played in a charity game against The Sports Junkies syndicated radio personalities. Despite losing 28-6, the Divas set a new record for highest attendance at a women's football game as 8,200 fans came to the event. Later in the offseason, the Divas had yet another new owner as Paul Hamilin (father of Divas' quarterback Allyson Hamlin) bought the team.

2005

Once again the Divas finished undefeated, once again they made it to the Northern Conference Championship Game, and once again they lost to the Detroit Demolition there.

After that season, the Divas moved from Eastern High School in Washington, D.C. to the new Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex in nearby Landover, Maryland. A new uniform design soon followed, but the biggest first in the next season was yet to come.

2006

Like the past two seasons, the Divas would finish with a perfect regular-season record and advance to the conference championship game. Unlike '04 and '05, however, the Divas won the conference championship, defeating the Columbus Comets and advancing to the NWFA Championship Game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On that field in the Steel City, the Divas fought hard to defeat the Oklahoma City Lightning by a score of 28-7 and win their first ever league championship. Running back Rachelle Pecovsky and linebacker Ivy Tillman received MVP honors on offense and defense, respectively.

2007

For 2007, the Divas left the NWFA to join the Independent Women's Football League. Finishing with an 8-0 regular season record and the Mid-Atlantic Division title, the Divas lost in the first round to the Atlanta Xplosion.

2008

2008 was a disappointing year for the Divas. Finishing at 4-4 (their worst record since their inaugural season), the Divas, for the first time since 2003, did not finish the regular season undefeated, for the first time since 2002, did not win the division championship or play any postseason games, and for the first time since 2001, did not finish with a winning season.

2009

Rebounding from the letdown of 2008, the Divas returned to their winning ways, once again finishing with a perfect 8-0 regular season and winning the Mid-Atlantic division title. Having defeated division rivals the Pittsburgh Passion in the first round, the Divas traveled to Massachusetts to play the Boston Militia in the Eastern Conference championship game (though they had the top seed, the Divas had to travel because of a scheduling conflict with their home venue). Despite the slight disadvantage, the Divas would overcome with a 27-21 win, giving the Divas their third conference title (and first as an IWFL team). On July 25, the Divas lost the IWFL Tier I World Championship to the Western Conference champion Kansas City Tribe, 21-18, at Round Rock ISD Athletic Stadium in Round Rock, Texas (a suburb of Austin).

2010

While 2010 has thus far not been quite as successful as the prior year, it did get the Divas another division title. Despite finishing at 5-3 and two games behind the Atlanta Xplosion at 7-1, a higher Team Rating granted the Divas the title. They defeated the Xplosion 35-7 in the divisional playoffs, but got a taste of last year's old medicine against the Boston Militia in the Eastern Conference title game, losing 28-0.

2011

Along with many of their archrivals, the D.C. Divas moved to the Women's Football Alliance for the 2011 season. The Divas easily won the Northeast Division with a 7-1 record. For the second year in a row though, the Boston Militia would end the Divas' postseason run, defeating D.C. by a 37-24 mark.

Season-By-Season

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties

Season	W	L	T	Finish	Playoff results
D.C. Divas (NWFA)
2001	3	5	0	?	--
2002	5	3	0	?	--
2003	7	1	0	1st Mid-Atlantic	Won First Round (Connecticut) Lost Second Round (Philadelphia)
2004	8	0	0	1st North Mid-Atlantic	Won Northern Conference Semifinal(SW Michigan) Lost Northern Conference Championship (Detroit)
2005	8	0	0	1st North Mid-Atlantic	Won Northern Conference Semifinal (Mass.) Lost Northern Conference Championship (Detroit)
2006	8	0	0	1st East Mid-Atlantic	Won Eastern Conference Semifinal (Chattanooga) Won Eastern Conference Championship (Columbus) Won NWFA Championship (Oklahoma City)
D.C. Divas (IWFL)
2007	8	0	0	1st East Mid-Atlantic	Lost Eastern Conference Semifinal (Atlanta)
2008	4	4	0	4th Tier I East North Atlantic	--
2009	8	0	0	1st Tier I East Mid-Atlantic	Won Eastern Conference Semifinal (Pittsburgh) Won Eastern Conference Championship (Boston) Lost IWFL Tier I World Championship (Kansas City)
2010	5	3	0	1st Tier I East Southeast	Won Southeast Division Championship (Atlanta) Lost Eastern Conference Championship (Boston)
D.C. Divas (WFA)
2011	7	1	0	1st National Northeast	Lost First Round (Boston)
Totals	80	24	0	(including playoffs)

Roster

D.C. Divas rosterview · talk · edit
Quarterbacks 10 Kathryn Hemlock 19 Allyson Hamlin Running Backs  6 Ayrica Walker  7 Okiima Pickett 22 Lindsay Sollers 25 Reneka Watkins 29 Kenyetta Grigsby 41 Stephanie Walker 44 Rachelle Pecovsky 47 Veronica Thompson 83 Jodi Samuda Wide Receivers 12 Ashley Whisonant 15 Jennifer Starkey 18 Lois McNeil 33 Donna Wilkinson (TE) 81 Lakia Barber 82 Shawntese Charles (TE) 84 Tara Kallal 85 Tara Stephenson 87 Pamela Herasingh 88 Nikki Williams		Offensive Line 51 Rachel Stivers 60 Rachel Huhn 64 Kristin Lucia 66 Knyesha Hilton 67 Asia Hardy 68 Allison Zupancic 70 Ellen Howard 71 Brianna Wilkins 72 Allysea Marfull 74 Becky Worsham 98 Unique McKinney Defensive Line 23 Lara Aribisala 32 Jordyn White 40 Jimmien Strong 48 Jewelyn Harrington 53 Mellisa Bedwell 55 T. K. Washington 69 Trecia Lewis 77 Tee McCauley 86 Annika Jordan 91 Jennifer Cole 92 Kim Bell 95 Cheri Douglas 97 Bukola Aina Linebackers  3 Cherre Marshall 14 Caroline Duckworth 30 Nikia Green 34 Tiffany Matthews 39 Aketa Ogletree 50 Debbie Rothlein 52 Samantha Williams 54 Tish Henderson 79 Noabeth Bruckenthal 90 Tea Törmänen 93 Lynette Clark		Defensive Backs  2 Tamara Williams  8 Monecho McMillon 16 Stevie Holiday 17 Callie Brownson 24 Alison Fischer 26 Kandace Faulkner 28 Amanda Clements 35 Nicole Fisk 38 Charmaine Chase 43 Tamyra Lathon Special Teams Currently vacant Multiple Positions Currently vacant		Injured Reserve Currently vacant Exempt List Currently vacant Practice Squad Currently vacant Rookies in italics Roster updated April 28, 2011 66 Active, 0 Inactive, 0 PS → More rosters

2009

Season schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 11	Baltimore Nighthawks	Away	Won 33-0
April 25	Detroit Demolition	Away	Won 35-0
May 2	Pittsburgh Passion	Home	Won 27-7
May 16	New York Sharks	Away	Won 21-7
May 23	Baltimore Nighthawks	Home	Won 70-14
May 30	Philadelphia Firebirds	Away	Won 42-0
June 6	New York Sharks	Home	Won 34-18
June 13	Philadelphia Firebirds	Home	Won 63-0
June 27	Pittsburgh Passion (Eastern Conference Semifinal)	Home	Won 27-17
July 11	Boston Militia (Eastern Conference Championship)	Away	Won 27-21
July 25	Kansas City Tribe (IWFL Tier I World Championship)	Neutral (Round Rock)	Lost 18-21

2010

Season schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 10	Baltimore Nighthawks	Home	Won 54-6
April 17	New York Sharks	Away	Lost 13-19
April 24	Philadelphia Firebirds	Away	Won 1-0**
May 1	Boston Militia	Home	Lost 35-42
May 8	Baltimore Nighthawks	Away	Won 28-7
May 22	New York Nemesis	Home	Won 49-21
May 29	Philadelphia Firebirds	Home	Won 49-3
June 5	Boston Militia	Away	Lost 36-52
June 12	Atlanta Xplosion (Southeast Division Championship)	Home	Won 35-7
July 10	Boston Militia (Playoffs Round 2)	Away	Lost 0-28

**=Won by forfeit as a result of the IWFL's season reduction for the Firebirds

2011

Standings

2011 Northeast Division
view · talk · edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	DIV	GB	STK
y-D.C. Divas	7	1	0	0.875	332	69	4-0	---	W1
Keystone Assault	3	5	0	0.375	92	166	1-3	4.0	W2
Philadelphia Liberty Belles	2	6	0	0.250	137	219	1-3	5.0	L4

Season schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 2	Boston Militia	Home	Won 35-20
April 9	Keystone Assault	Home	Won 55-6
April 16	Philadelphia Liberty Belles	Home	Won 20-0
April 30	Keystone Assault	Away	Won 49-0
May 7	Northeastern Nitro	Home	Won 77-0
May 21	Philadelphia Liberty Belles	Away	Won 42-0
June 11	Boston Militia	Away	Lost 16-27
June 18	New York Sharks	Away	Won 38-16
June 25	Boston Militia (National Conference Quarterfinal)	Home	Lost 24-37

External links

• D.C. Divas