Sarah Fuller makes history.
Vanderbilt Women’s Soccer goalie, Sarah Fuller, makes SEC Football history becoming the first female to take the field.
Covid-19 has been a gift and curse for athletes across the world. Due to the pandemic, Vanderbilt football was left with a lower number of specialists on their roster. On Saturday, November 28th, Sarah Fuller would make college football history as she became the first woman to take the field in a SEC football game, playing for Vanderbilt against Missouri. Fuller took the opening kick of the second half, but would leave more of an impact off the field then on it. She sported a sticker on her helmet with the words “Play Like a Girl.” Following NCAA guidelines, she was able to promote the nonprofit organization and help encourage girls to play sports and have access to STEM programs as well.
You may be left wondering where the football team was able to find Fuller. Fuller is senior goalkeeper on the Women’s Soccer team at Vanderbilt. The goalkeeper position in soccer is notorious for being able to kick the ball very far and usually being quite tall in size. According to the soccer roster, Fuller stands at a staggering 6’2 which suits her nicely for being a football kicker.
Being in the limelight, there’s always going to be trolls and haters. There were memes of the kick itself as it didn’t go very far, however this was a set play that they had practiced all week and she was able to execute it perfectly in game. She told Insider, “I’ll take on the hate, I don’t care, this is something that I believe I’ve earned.” And rightfully so, she earned it as she led the Women’s Soccer team at Vanderbilt to an SEC title this fall. The soccer team went 8-4 in their modified season as Fuller started 9 of 12 games, with 3 shutouts and 7 victories. It really was quite the journey for her seeing no action as a freshman, to becoming an icon in women’s sports 3 years later.
LHS Senior Sophie Contrucci shared her thoughts on the historic situation.
“I think it’s really cool that she got that opportunity. It’s a good inspiration for a lot of young girls in sports, it shows them they can really play whatever they want and break stereotypes. I wish there wasn’t so much negative feedback though.”
The big question is, what’s next for Sarah Fuller? Her senior soccer campaign is over, and the football season has 2 games left for the (0-8) commodores. In a recently posted depth chart ahead of their clash with the Tennessee Volunteers this weekend, Fuller sits 2nd in the kicking position. She could potentially see the field for a second time, which would allow her to leave even more of an impact on women’s sports.
Fuller is a Medicine and Health & Society major from Wylie, Texas. She is set to graduate this spring, but who knows where she’ll end up? The National Women’s Soccer league, possibly the NFL, even a doctor, Fuller will excel in whatever path she takes and the sky is the limit for her.
