Three Southern Arizona athletes are making their mark at Arizona’s two flagship universities, channeling years of multi-sport experience into one of the fastest-growing sports in the country: women’s flag football.
Marie McCaa and Rylen Bourguet at Arizona State, and Ryann Brooks at Arizona, are helping reshape the athletic landscape both on the field and in the broader conversation about women in football.
McCaa, a sophomore from Sierra Vista who graduated from Buena in 2024, earned varsity letters in both volleyball and track and field before arriving at Arizona State. Her track background brings raw speed to the flag football field, while her volleyball experience has sharpened the hand-eye coordination and team dynamics that translate seamlessly to the game. She is one of several athletes driving the growth of Arizona State’s women’s club flag football program in Tempe.
Bourguet, a junior and 2023 Salpointe Catholic graduate, brings an even broader athletic résumé to the Arizona State program, having lettered in three sports: beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, and soccer. That breadth of experience gives her a tactical awareness and adaptability that coaches prize in the fast-paced environment of flag football, where split-second decisions and cross-sport instincts often make the difference.
Also included in this Southern Arizona trio is Brooks on Arizona’s roster. She is a 2025 graduate of Marana who originally hails from Sierra Vista. Brooks lettered in both flag football and track and field, making her one of the rare collegiate club players who arrives with direct flag football experience already on her résumé. Her background in the sport gives the Arizona program an athlete who understands the game at a competitive level from day one.
Women’s flag football is among the fastest growing sports in the nation, with participation surging at youth and collegiate levels alike. For McCaa, Bourguet, and Brooks, the sport offers more than just a new competitive outlet — it represents an opportunity to be part of a movement. Both the Arizona State and Arizona programs have emphasized their commitment to empowering women through competitive athletics, developing leadership, and pushing back against the historical exclusion of women from football culture.
The Arizona State and Arizona programs have the mission of building beyond the game. They are breaking down barriers in a male-dominated world and creating a competitive space where women can grow, lead, and inspire.
That spirit resonates across both programs. Whether it’s McCaa using her track speed to create mismatches in the open field, Bourguet applying soccer and volleyball instincts to route running and timing, or Brooks drawing on her prep flag football experience to anchor Arizona’s competitive identity, each athlete brings something distinct to a sport still defining its collegiate identity.
The presence of all three athletes — two from Sierra Vista and one from Tucson — underscores Southern Arizona’s growing reputation as a pipeline for versatile athletic talent. Each of them chose to pursue flag football at the collegiate club level despite having options to focus on their original sports, a decision that speaks to the momentum the game has built in recent years.
For young female athletes across the region watching from the sidelines, the message from McCaa, Bourguet, and Brooks is the same: women belong on the football field, and the opportunities to compete are real and growing. As both the Arizona State and Arizona programs continue to develop, these three Southern Arizona standouts are already writing a chapter in what promises to be a long and compelling story for women’s football in the state.
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