The women’s flag football team, Simply Marvelous, starts NIRSA play this weekend in Orlando. NIRSA stands for National Intramural Recreational Sports Association.
This is one of the two leagues that the team plays in. The tournament will be played Friday through Sunday, and the team looks to continue its dominance and stay undefeated.
Ericca Collins, starting freshman quarterback, will be counted on to come up big again. She accounted for 14 touchdowns in the team’s last tournament. Collins was the MVP of the Swamp Bowl two weeks ago.
“She may be a freshman but you wouldn’t know it by her game,” Carmen Jones said, a senior receiver for the team. Jones also had a big game last weekend and earned all tournament honors.
Head coach Marvin Green Jr. said Jones is getting used to running with the team and he said she looks more comfortable with her teammates.
“She is really starting to come out of her shell,” Green said. “She has been in the shadow of some of the star players in the past and now it’s her turn.” Jones caught three touchdowns in the Swamp Bowl and had three interceptions as well.
The team will also look for a big performance from freshman Kimbryana Lewis who also earned all-tournament honors at the Swamp Bowl.
Lewis contributed on both sides of the ball with five touchdowns and six interceptions. The play of the two freshman stars will be critical to the success of the team this weekend.
The team is playing in the UCF tournament for the first time this year. April Roberts, senior and team captain, is confident they can come home with a championship. Roberts has been with the program ever since she was a freshman.
“Well this is our first year playing in the UCF tournament,” Roberts said. She said the team is confident despite playing in a new tournament.
“This weekend we will bring back the first place championship,” Roberts said. She too has been one of the key players on the two-time national championship team.
This will be the team’s second tournament of the year and second time they will play against female competition.
The team will have more than 60 wins over the past four years, and more than 150 wins since 1995 if it is successful in Orlando.