COLUMBIA, Mo. (WTVF) — Vanderbilt soccer player Sarah Fuller made history Saturday afternoon, officially taking the field with the football team for its game against Missouri.
Kicking off for the team in the second half, Fuller is the first female to play in a Power Five game.
Sarah Fuller kicks off to start the second half, becoming the first woman to play in a power five game. The kick was scooped up on a hop and downed at the 35 yard line. #Vandy @NC5
— Steve Layman (@SteveLayman) November 28, 2020
The senior from Wylie, Texas, played every minute this year for Vanderbilt's title-winning soccer team. And with the football team struggling in its kicking game after the presumed starter opted out-- and several others were sidelined by contact tracing-- Fuller got a call to try out.
She earned a spot on the roster and became just the third woman to suit up for an FBS level game.
The kickoff itself made history, but the ovation she got running onto the field may be my lasting takeaway. A lot of people were excited for @SarahFuller_27’s moment. #Vandy @NC5
— Steve Layman (@SteveLayman) November 28, 2020
Vanderbilt lost the game 41-0, but Fuller was excited to share a message with fans aftwards:
"Honestly it's just so exciting. The fact that I can represent the little girls out there who have wanted to do this or thought about playing football, or any sport really, and it encourages them to be able to set out and do something like this, it's awesome."
Fuller wore a "Play Like A Girl" helmet decal, in support of the non-profit that encourages young women to play sports and study STEM fields.
"I just want to tell all the girls out there that you can do anything you set your mind to, you really can. And if you have that mentality all the way through, you can do big things."
Asked if Fuller will kick again for the team, Coach Derek Mason said it's up to her.
“If she wants to, we’d love to have her."
