Leilani Armenta made historical past late final month when she kicked off the sport for Jackson State in opposition to SWAC opponent Bethune-Cookman, Rollingout.com reported. Being an on-field kicker, she turned the primary feminine participant for the Jackson State Tigers soccer group and in addition the primary feminine to play on a Division One HBCU soccer group, in accordance with Jackson Advocate.
Armenta had come to Jackson State College to play soccer however ended up making historical past on September 23 as a kicker on the soccer group. The opening kick traveled only a few yards, with some social media customers describing it because the worst kick in school soccer ever.
“Deion left and now they obtained white ladies kicking the ball,” one other X consumer wrote. Many imagine that Armenta was added to the group primarily for publicity. However that might not be the precise purpose for her involvement, analysts say. Hailing from Ventura, California, and graduating from Saint Bonaventure Excessive Faculty, Armenta has a background in highschool soccer and was a kicker for 4 years.
She scored on 98 out of 105 further level makes an attempt and on 5 out of 5 discipline targets as a kicker for her highschool group, Jackson Advocate reported, including that she went out of the kicking sport because of accidents.
As a consequence of her previous file, she was requested to be the place kicker on the collegiate stage within the absence of injured kicker, Gerardo Baeza, the platform added. This got here 4 days after she joined Jackson State College. It was additionally her first sport 10 months publish ACL surgical procedure.
Regardless of the criticism, Armenta mentioned she was grateful to her followers for all their help throughout and after the sport.
Knowledge USA states that though Jackson State College’s pupil physique is predominantly Black (92.55%), there are a couple of white college students on the HBCU (2.82%). In keeping with the college’s equal alternative assertion, JSU “recruits, admits, and gives companies, monetary assist, and instruction to all college students” no matter race, intercourse, faith or nationwide origin.
