Tag: Sarah Fuller

Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said Sarah Fuller’s kickoff went ‘exactly where she needed to punch it’

Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller became the first woman to play in a Power 5 college football game Saturday.

Sarah Fuller did exactly what she was supposed to do Saturday during Vanderbilt’s road game against Missouri, Commodores coach Derek Mason said after his team’s 41-0 loss.

Vanderbilt’s soccer player turned football kicker took the field to start the third quarter for the opening second-half kickoff, making her the first woman to play in an SEC and Power 5 college football game. And her squib kick was designed specifically for her and went as planned — despite some misguided criticism from people on the internet who apparently have never seen this play before.

The kick went 30 yards to Missouri’s 35-yard line, where the Tigers were unable to return it.

In Mason’s postgame Zoom press conference, he explained the play call and why it worked for Fuller, whose only been practicing with the football team for a few days after her soccer season ended last Sunday:

“That was designed, you know, meant for her because that’s what she used to striking. You know, really, we tried to go with the most natural kicks in her arsenal.

“Tried not to, you know, over-coach her, but let her do and understand what felt comfortable to her. And that’s really what we went with. Man, I thought she punched it exactly where she needed to punch it. Ball’s down, 35-yard line. Let’s go.”

After the game, Mason said the team looked at some other people who could possibly kick for it, but Fuller was “our best option” with her natural ability. Mason also noted that her playing “was out of necessity,” not Vanderbilt’s way of trying to make a statement or PR stunt.

And if she’s willing to stick around with the team a little longer, Mason said “we’d love to have her” keep playing this season. More from his postgame Zoom press conference:

“She’s been a trooper. I mean, she came right in, she was all about the challenge. Man, I have the utmost respect for her, for [soccer coach] Darren Ambrose for allowing this to happen, and for her to be a part of it.

“Look, man, she could have very easily said no in this. And instead, you know, man, she prepared all week. And she did what she was supposed to do. She was as prepared as anybody.”

Because Vanderbilt’s offense struggled to do much of anything, Fuller didn’t have the opportunity to attempt a field goal.

But in her own Zoom press conference, she said she’d love to keep practicing and playing for the football team and hopes to have a chance to kick a field goal at some point. She said her longest field goal in practice so far was 38 yards.

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Watch: Sarah Fuller delivers important message to girls everywhere

Sarah Fuller offered wisdom to all after debuting for Vanderbilt against Missouri

After kicking off to start the second half in Vanderbilt’s 41-0 loss to Missouri Saturday, Sarah Fuller was asked what becoming the first woman to play in a Power 5 conference game meant to her.

She offered wisdom: “I just want to tell all the girls out there that you can do anything you set your mind to.”

And to give you an idea of how much her mind was in the right place, Fuller let everyone know that an SEC championship soccer game brought far more intensity and pressure than the appearance against Missouri.

“Honestly the SEC championship game was more stressful.”

A week earlier, Fuller was the goalkeeper as Vanderbilt captured the SEC women’s soccer crown.

 

WATCH: Sarah Fuller makes college football history for Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller is now the first woman to ever play college football in a Power 5 conference game

Fresh off an SEC title on the soccer pitch, Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller decided to make some college football history for her second act.

In Saturday’s game against Missouri, Fuller made history as the first woman to ever play college football in a Power 5 conference, officially getting into the record books with a kickoff to open up the second half.

The goalkeeper for Vandy’s women’s soccer team, Fuller hasn’t had the chance to attempt a field goal or an extra point just yet, but she’s still in the record books all the same. Her participation in Saturday’s game will no doubt serve as just the latest inspiration for women in football.

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Watch: Sarah Fuller kicks off to start second half, college football history

Sarah Fuller with the opening kickoff of the third quarter becomes the first woman to play in a Power 5 conference game

It took until the third quarter Saturday of the Vanderbilt-Missouri game but Sarah Fuller finally got her chance to play.

The soccer goalkeeper-turned placekicker for the Commodores’ football team took part in an SEC game to open the second half with a 30-yard kick that saw Missouri not return it.

Fuller becomes the first woman to play in a Power 5 conference game.

Congratulations to Fuller and to Derek Mason for making this marvelous call.

(15:00 – 3rd) Sarah Fuller kickoff for 30 yds, Mason Pack return for no gain to the Misso 35

Watch Sarah Fuller kick off for Vanderbilt and make college football history

Vanderbilt soccer player Sarah Fuller made college football history.

At the start of the third quarter of the Vanderbilt-Missouri game Saturday, Sarah Fuller made college football history. By taking the field for the opening second-half kickoff for the Commodores, Fuller became the first woman to play in an SEC and Power 5 game.

Winless Vanderbilt has struggled with kicking this season. Some of the team’s specialists were not available to play because of COVID-19 protocols, so it turned to Fuller, a 6-foot-2 Wylie, Texas native and senior goalkeeper on Vanderbilt’s soccer team, which finished its season last Sunday with its first SEC Tournament title since 1994. And not long after that, Fuller was with the football team practicing kicking through the uprights this week.

Related: 5 things to know about Sarah Fuller

And, as The Tennessean‘s Adam Sparks reported Saturday, Fuller was the only kicker to travel with Vanderbilt for the Missouri game, joining specialists punter/holder Harrison Smith and long snapper Wesley Schelling.

So when it was time for the second-half kickoff, Fuller stepped on the field for a 30-yard kick to Missouri’s 35-yard line.

Prior to Vanderbilt’s road game against Missouri, Commodores head coach Derek Mason said Fuller was an option this weekend because “she’s got a strong leg.” Mason also told ESPN 102.5 The Game this week:

“For us, talking to Sarah, she’s a champ, and no pun intended. Just coming off an SEC championship in soccer and then coming out and just looking at what we do and how we do it, and she’s a complete competitor. She’s an option for us, so right now, that’s where we sit.”

Vanderbilt struggled in the first half to get into Missouri territory — forget about field goal range — so Fuller didn’t have a chance to play. But after halftime with the Tigers leading the Commodores, 21-0, Mason turned to the goalkeeper turned football kicker.

Although Fuller is the first woman to play in a Power 5 game, she’s not the first to play in college football. Women are still given few opportunities to play, but several women helped pave the way for this moment, including Liz Heaston, the first woman to score in a college football game (Willamette, 1997), and Katie Hnida, the first woman to score at the FBS level (New Mexico, 2003).

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Sarah Fuller becomes first woman to play in a Power Five college football game

Sarah Fuller made history Saturday becoming the first woman to play in the Power Five.

Sarah Fuller is a senior goalkeeper for Vanderbilt women’s soccer team.

Fuller suited up for the Commodores’ football team Saturday at Missouri. She became the first woman to play in a Power Five college football game.

Fuller entered the contest during the third quarter when Vanderbilt kicked off to Missouri.

She joined the football team this week after COVID-19 contact tracing affected Vanderbilt’s roster.

Last Sunday, Fuller helped lead the Commodores’ soccer team to a Southeastern Conference Tournament championship.

Nov 28, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores place kicker Sarah Fuller (32) warms up before a game against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Commodores were slated to play Tennessee Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium. Tennessee and Vanderbilt will now play in December after the contest was postponed by the SEC.

The SEC announced that the rescheduling of games allows for a continued opportunity for all 14 teams to play all 10 games in the 2020 season.

UT Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer discussed Tennessee’s games in December on “Vol Calls” Wednesday.

“We’ve got Florida next week, and then we’ve got Vanderbilt, and then we’ve still got Texas A&M on the 19th,” Fulmer said.

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It’s Sarah Fuller Saturday as Vanderbilt player is celebrated

Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller is being celebrated as she gets ready to kick in an SEC game.

Sarah Fuller is the lone kicker listed on the Vanderbilt roster for its game with Missouri on Saturday. She is dressed out for the SEC game and ready to kick for the Commodores. Her moment is being appreciated.

Saints specialists pulling for Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller

New Orleans Saints Wil Lutz and Thomas Morstead are rooting for Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller, the first woman to play at the FBS level.

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Several New Orleans Saints will be watching this week’s college football games unfold closely, but for once they aren’t watching their Alma maters. Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller is set to make history as the first woman to take the field in a Power 5 football game after successfully trying out for the team this week once several Commodores specialists were placed in quarantine due to COVID-19.

Fuller, a goalkeeper for Vanderbilt’s SEC championship-winning women’s soccer team, could join Katie Hnida (New Mexico) and April Goss (Kent State) as the only women to play at the FBS level. It would be a groundbreaking accomplishment, and it’s put Saints specialists Wil Lutz and Thomas Morstead on notice. The two NFL Pro Bowlers wrote well-wishes to Fuller before she and the Commodores kick off at noon ET Saturday on SEC Network:

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Sarah Fuller added to Vanderbilt roster, travels with team to Missouri

Sarah Fuller made the trip to Missouri with Vanderbilt and will dress for the game with the Tigers

The Vanderbilt football roster has a pair of No 32s on it. People won’t be as interested in fifth-year senior running back Jamauri Wakefield as they will the other player with those digits Saturday when the Commodores face Missouri in Columbia.

Vanderbilt officially added Sarah Fuller to its roster on Friday, The 6-foot-2 senior, a potential kicker, made the trip in anticipation of becoming the first woman to take part in a Power 5 football game.

Other Nashville teams have taken notice and wished the soccer goalkeeper, well.

Fuller started nine of the 12 games Vanderbilt women’s soccer played during the fall 2020 season. She recorded three shutouts, and the team went 7-2 with her in the net.

Fuller plans to continue her soccer career and education at North Texas. She is from Wylie, Tx.

“I am happy for her,” UNT soccer coach John Hedlund said. “She’s a great athlete with a strong leg. It doesn’t surprise me the football team is interested in her.

“I will probably watch and cheer her on.”

ESPN noted other women who have made appearances in college football games.

Ashley Martin became the first woman to score at the Division I level when she kicked three extra points for FCS Jacksonville State against Cumberland on Aug. 30, 2001.

Two years later, New Mexico’s Katie Hnida became the first woman to score at the FBS level with two extra points against Texas State.

5 things to know about Sarah Fuller, who could play football for Vanderbilt on Saturday

Soccer player Sarah Fuller gives Vanderbilt football another option as a kicker.

Vanderbilt football needs a hand with kicking, and it turned to the Commodores women’s soccer team for help. Specifically, the help of senior goalkeeper Sarah Fuller, who plans to dress for Vanderbilt’s road game against Missouri on Saturday.

Only a few days ago, the Wylie, Texas native finished her 2020 soccer season before she received a call from her team’s associate head coach, Ken Masuhr, asking about her experience kicking a football and if she could stick around to offer an assist to the football team, VUCommodores.com reported.

Fuller’s soccer season ended last Sunday, and the next thing she knew, she was with the football team and practicing her kicking at the uprights.

“I made the first one and I kept making them,” she told VUCommodores.com. “It sounds really good to me. It’s different than a soccer ball, but it felt good.”

At the bottom of the SEC East standings, Vanderbilt is still searching for its first win of the season and enters the Missouri game with a 0-7 record and only two games left on its schedule currently. And it needs some kicking help with many of the Commodores specialists quarantining because of COVID-19 protocols.

So far this season, Vanderbilt has played two kickers. Juniors Wes Farley and Pierson Cooke are perfect this season with extra points. But Cooke is the only one to attempt a field goal, and he’s just 3-for-7 so far.

Maybe it’s Fuller’s turn to try, and football coach Derek Mason said this week that “she’s an option for us.”

Here are a few things to know about the soccer-turned-football player before she suits up and possibly plays Saturday against Missouri.