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Former Vanderbilt Kicker Sarah Fuller Signs Pre-Professional Soccer Contract

She is the first player to sign with the Minnesota Aurora.

Zach Koons

Former Vanderbilt Kicker Sarah Fuller Signs Pre-Professional Soccer Contract
Former Vanderbilt Kicker Sarah Fuller Signs Pre-Professional Soccer Contract /

Sarah Fuller, who became the first woman to score in a Power 5 football game as the Vanderbilt kicker in 2020, signed a contract with Minnesota Aurora FC of the USL W-League, the team announced Monday. 

Fuller, a former collegiate goalkeeper, is the first player signed by the Aurora. The USL W-League is a women's pre-professional league that is set to begin play in 2022.

“Sarah is a fantastic player and an even better person,” Aurora coach Nicole Lukic said. “Having a leader like Sarah that has broken down barriers is a perfect fit for us.”

Fuller reacted to the news of her signing on social media shortly after Minnesota's announcement.

“I'm so excited to be apart of this team. Couldn't have been a better fit!” Fuller wrote on Twitter.

Fuller played goalie for four seasons at Vanderbilt from 2017 to ’20 before transferring to North Texas. When the Commodores needed a placekicker during the ’20 season due to COVID-19 protocols, she joined the football team.

She made history when she kicked off in game against Missouri on Nov. 28, becoming the first woman to take a snap for a Power 5 team. She broke another barrier two weeks later when she made two extra points in a loss to Tennessee.

Fuller finished out her collegiate soccer career at North Texas this past fall, allowing 13 goals and recording eight shutouts in 17 starts.

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Zach Koons
ZACH KOONS

Zach Koons is a programming editor at Sports Illustrated who frequently writes about Formula One. He joined SI as a breaking/trending news writer in February 2022 before joining the programming team in 2023. Koons previously worked at The Spun and interned for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He currently hosts the "Bleav in Northwestern" podcast and received a bachelor's in journalism from Northwestern University.

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