Toni Fuller announced as Women's Flag Football Head Coach
By Angel Cornista
WALESKA, GA. – Reinhardt University is happy to announce that it has hired Toni Fuller as their inaugural Women's Flag Football Coach. Athletic Director Jeffery Pourchier said, "We are thrilled to have Toni join the Reinhardt community. She brings with her a great energy and work ethic."
Fuller - is considered an ambassador of women's flag and tackle football; highly regarded in women's football. During her career, she has played year-round football; using women's flag football to feed into her tackle football season. She played for Atlanta Xplosion, Austin Outlaws, Austin Yellowjackets, Atlanta Phoenix, and Alabama Fire during her 16-year career. Most recently playing linebacker for the Alabama Fire in the WNFC earning All-Pro honors in 2021.
Fuller was a member of the 2017 National Women's Tackle Football team who earned a gold medal in the IFAF World Championships. She has also been recognized as the first woman to coach football in a Cobb County School District with her position as running back coach at Pebblebrook High School in 2019 and 2020.
"We are so excited to not only begin women's flag at Reinhardt but also that we were able to find such a high character person to be our first head coach," Vice President for Enrollment Management and Athletics Bill Popp said. "Coach Fuller will bring knowledge and passion for game she loves but even more than that she will bring a mentoring spirit to the team."
Fuller earned her Master of Education degree in Human Development Counseling with an emphasis in School Counseling at Vanderbilt University in August 2004. She is currently a graduate assistant with the University of Georgia Counselor Education and Supervision program, where she is working toward a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education with research interest exploring student-athletes.
Fuller ran track and field at Vanderbilt University where she also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in June 2003. She found her love for flag football at Vanderbilt playing with an intramural team named the "WNFL" coached by a pair of Vanderbilt football players – "Rosie and Johnny".
Fuller helped the WNFL to league championships while completing two degrees within 5 years. She learned to value and study the game under their leadership; birthing a football career that is still unfolding. From player to coach – the journey continues!
Words from Coach Fuller – "I've dreamed of the day that women would be afforded the opportunity to play football in college. We have added to the pipeline to grow many of them through sport by bringing it here to Reinhardt and I value that to my core. This opportunity is "my why." I look forward to building a competitive program and recruiting some of finest athletes around. It's time to compete!"
Stay tuned for more information on Women's Flag Football.
Twitter Page for Women's Flag Football: @RWomenFlagU
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For more information on Women's Flag Football, please click here.