The Inaugural MFC National Flag Football Player of the Year award will be presented at the 88th Maxwell Awards
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Jan. 2, 2024 — The Maxwell Football Club (MFC), home to several of football’s most prestigious awards including the Maxwell, Chuck Bednarik and Bert Bell awards, proudly announces the 2024 finalists for the club’s inaugural Girls National Flag Football Player of the Year award. The award will be presented annually to an outstanding player based on a criterion of on field performance, academic achievement and community service. This year, the MFC National Flag Football Player of the Year award will be presented at the 88th MaxwellAwards
“The opportunity to continue the Maxwell Club’s mission of promoting all aspects of football and amplifying the amazing efforts of young women who are pioneering the game of flag football is a great honor. The players, coaches and organizations who have championed the development of the game are to be commended, and the opportunities that now exist for girls and young women will continue to grow. The support of the National Football League is a huge driver for the growth of this game and the Maxwell Football Club is excited to play a part in recognizing excellence both on and off the football field for these amazing athletes.” – Mark Wolpert – Executive Director – Maxwell Football Club.
Working in partnership with NFL clubs who submitted nominations throughout the fall, players were evaluated by the Maxwell Football Club’s national selection staff, which is comprised of leaders in girls flag football and women’s athletics across America. Student athletes have been identified as finalists, and in January, one player will be announced as the Maxwell Football Club National Flag Football Player of the Year.
“The Maxwell Football Club is an organization designed to celebrate player achievement on the field,” said Stephanie Kwok, NFL vice president of Flag Football. “The opportunity to have the club place Flag Football on the grand stage by naming the national girls flag football player of the year will help raise the platform for the growth of this wonderful game. I’m thrilled to celebrate these amazing athletes, and excited to see how they will continue to lead both on and off the football field.”
The inaugural MFC National Flag Football Player of the Year award will be presented on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the 88th Maxwell Awards, which will be held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. For additional information regarding the event please visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.
The finalists for the 2024 Girls National Flag Football National Player of the year are listed below in alphabetical order by team.
| Names | High Schools | City | NFL Clubs |
| Samaya Taylor-Jenkins | Hamilton High School | Chandler | Arizona Cardinals |
| Alexandria Lofton | Columbus High School | Columbus | Atlanta Falcons |
| Annabel Fletcher | Boonsboro High School | Boonsboro | Baltimore Ravens |
| Nela Lopusanova | Bishop Kearney | Rochester | Buffalo Bills |
| Lilly Rumrill | Mooresville High School | Mooresville | Carolina Panthers |
| Tory Smith | Jones College Prep | Chicago | Chicago Bears |
| Sarah Enginger | Mercy McAuley High School | Cincinnati | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Varia Zasukhina | South HS | Willoughby | Cleveland Browns |
| Celeste Alvarez | Carter-Riverside High School | Fort Worth | Dallas Cowboys |
| Ariana Akey | Mountain Vista High School | Highlands Ranch | Denver Broncos |
| Riley Vertz | Kettle Moraine | Wales | Green Bay Packers |
| Ava Wallace | Rouse High School | Leander | Houston Texans |
| Elena Newsom | Herron High School | Indianapolis | Indianapolis Colts |
| Gaby Rourke | Atlantic Coast High School | Jacksonville | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Anna Anderson | Park Hill High School | Kansas City | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Kiona “Ki Lolo” Westerlund | Liberty High School | Henderson | Las Vegas Raiders |
| Maia Helmar | Newport Harbor | Newport Beach | Los Angeles Chargers |
| Aaya Mclyn | Long Beach Poly | Long Beach | Los Angeles Rams |
| Adrienne Rivera | Fort Pierce Central | Fort Pierce | Miami Dolphins |
| Talia Vescio | Rosemount High School | Rosemount | Minnesota Vikings |
| Jordan D’Amelio | Wachusett Regional High | Sterling | New England Patriots |
| Caitlyn Vaughn | De LaSalle HS | New Orleans | New Orleans Saints |
| Vanessa Tepper | Minisink Valley | Slate Hill | New York Giants |
| Jaclyn Molinini | St. Joseph By the Sea | Staten Island | New York Jets |
| Maya Johnson | Abington Senior High School | Abington | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Shay Brown | Moon Area High School | Moon Township | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Ava Allen | Menlo HS | Atherton | San Francisco 49ers |
| Eleana Lee | Chief South International High | Seattle | Seattle Seahawks |
| Haidyn Spano | Robinson High School | Tampa | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Kinleigh Lewis | West Creek High School | Clarksville | Tennessee Titans |
| Eleanor Mahshie | Yorktown High School | Arlington | Washington Commanders |
About the Maxwell Football Club – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, the NFL Foundation, Bradford White, DCH Health System, SRA Inc, College Football Dawgs, Raymond James, the ETC Foundation and the BABC Law Firm. To learn more about our story visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.
