Female kicker to try out at Penn State

Just thought it was interesting


July 24, 2002
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- A former soccer player who kicked a career-long 36-yard field goal in high school will try out next month to be the first woman to play football for Penn State.

Stephanie Weimer, a three-year starter at place-kicker for Serra Catholic in McKeesport, Pa., will try out with other potential walk-ons when classes start in August.

She will have her work cut out for her -- Penn State already has three place-kickers on the roster, including two with game experience. Robbie Gould, who started last year as a true freshman, has hit six of 10 tries, including a career-long 46-yard score, and was a perfect 29-of-29 on extra points. David Kimball, who often handles kickoffs, is 0-3 on field goals and 3-4 on extra points.

But Tom Nola, who coached the 5-foot-4, 120-pound Weimer at Serra, said he thinks she has what it takes.

``She's a competitor like most boys are,'' Nola said. ``She's very consistent. If she had to kick 100 times from 30 yards in, I would say she makes 98 of them.''

Even if she makes the team, Weimer won't be the first woman to suit up for an NCAA Division I-A football program. Heather Sue Mercer made the team at Duke -- then won a $2 million discrimination lawsuit after she was cut from the team. Louisville and Colorado also have had women on their rosters, but none ever took the field.

In 1997, Liz Heaston became the first woman to score in a college game, kicking two extra points for Willamette, which was then an NAIA school. Last year, Jacksonville State's Ashley Martin became the first woman in NCAA Division I-AA to score, kicking four extra points.

No woman has kicked a field goal in collegiate play.

Weimer first played soccer at Serra, but quit after her freshman year in order to concentrate on football, where she was a three-year starter.

She kicked three field goals her sophomore year, but her season ended early when a Greensburg Central Catholic player dove into her right knee, tearing three ligaments. That summer, Weimer attended Penn State's kicking camp. She connected on one of two tries as a junior before an injury again shortened her season.

Her six field goals last year were the most among WPIAL Class A schools.

 

hell yeah. best of luck to her.

 

Good story. When women start kicking 50 yarders the NFL needs to get them signed. It would definitely sell more tickets . . . and boost morale in the locker room.

 

That'd kick ass.

 

I agree with Meat. Women need to get their foot in the door of college football.

 

As bad as they are right now, maybe she should go out for QB instead. Penn St sucks.

 

She won't make the cut, they have two kickers with game experience and another walk on.
PSU should be decent this year, as long as they stick w/ the underclassman at QB. Jo Pa will right the ship!

 

Masochist
Stupid
or a girl with a plan?

 

She won't make the cut, they have two kickers with game experience and another walk on.


may not matter...there's legal precedent now since the girl sued duke and won a few years ago for essentially the same thing. she said that she was never given a fair chance and was better than the other kickers on the team. this was when goldsmith was coaching their team...so it's been a couple of seasons past at least.

 

good for her...