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Female kicker to try out at Penn State
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.
Female kicker to try out at Penn State
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.
