On Saturday, Sarah Fuller became the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game as Vanderbilt opposed Missouri.<\/p>\n
The Monday before the game, Fuller, a senior at Vanderbilt and goalkeeper for the Commodore women\u2019s soccer team, received a call from one of football coach Derek Mason\u2019s staff, asking if she\u2019d be interested in trying out. This was after a member of the kicking team tested positive for COVID-19 and the rest of the kickers had to stop practicing as they went into quarantine. Fuller took Mason up on the offer and began to practice, landing a spot as the only kicker on Vanderbilt\u2019s travel roster.<\/p>\n
In Saturday\u2019s game, Fuller delivered the opening kick of the second half, sending it to the 35-yard line. Missouri downed the kick, ultimately winning the game 41-0, but according to Mason, Fuller executed the kick as designed.<\/p>\n
Missouri might not be the last team Fuller takes on as a part of the football team. \u201cIf she wants to kick and she\u2019s available, we\u2019d love to have her,\u201d Mason said. Fuller replied that she\u2019d be happy to. <\/a>However, Vanderbilt fired Mason the day after the 41-0 loss to Missouri brought the team’s record to 0-8. <\/p>\n On the back of Fuller\u2019s helmet during the game was \u201cPlay Like A Girl,\u201d the name of a nonprofit that works to encourage young girls in STEM and sports.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, it\u2019s just so exciting,\u201d Fuller said after the game. \u201cThe fact that I can represent all the girls out there that have wanted to do this or thought about playing football or any sport really, and it encourages them to be able to step out and do something big like this\u2014it\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n