Vanderbilt so desperate for special teams help, Commodores giving women’s soccer player tryout
By Keith Farner
Published:
Vanderbilt is in a difficult situation with its specialists being in quarantine because of COVID-19 protocols. But the Commodores have reached across the athletics department and on Tuesday invited a women’s soccer player to practice with the football team.
Sarah Fuller, Vanderbilt soccer’s starting goalkeeper, practiced with Vanderbilt football as a kicker this afternoon, multiple sources confirmed to The Vanderbilt Hustler.
Fuller wore full pads and a uniform but did not take any kicks. Instead, she went through walk-throughs with coaches and at least one specialist on the sidelines, according to the report. It remains unclear whether she will play in the Commodores’ upcoming matchup at Missouri on Saturday, or play at all this season. If she plays, it’s believed that Fuller would be the first woman to play a snap in a Power 5 football game.
“We’re working through it right now,” coach Derek Mason said of the kicking situation in Tuesday’s press conference. “For us, every week is (about) getting to the practice field and about making sure that we put the best possible kicker out there, so we’re competing. Right now, like I said, I’ve got to go out to practice today and see what gets done, but hopefully, I’ll have an update for you on Thursday.”
Vanderbilt’s initial problem with options at the position came when kicker Oren Milstein opted out before the season started.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
