During the 74th minute of Western Kentucky women's soccer team's game against Kentucky Christian, graduate student Sydney Engle made history.
Engle, previously a four-year standout member of the women’s volleyball team at WKU, stepped into the net to serve as the new soccer goalkeeper for the Hilltoppers, becoming only the second player in Conference USA to play volleyball and women's soccer as a student-athlete. She’s also the only student-athlete in WKU history to compete on the two varsity teams for the two sports occur during the same season.
Having no prior soccer experience before playing her first game for the Hilltoppers last night, Engle held Kentucky Christian scoreless during her 17-minute debut. WKU prevailed over 9-0 and move to a 2-2-2 overall record for the season.
HISTORY MADE! Sydney Engle became only the second known student-athlete in @ConferenceUSA history to compete for the same school in both volleyball and women's soccer!#NCAASoccer
— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 4, 2018
(📸: @WKU_Soccer)pic.twitter.com/nMcY3sc8bG
“I’m very honored to play two sports here at WKU,” Engle told WKU Athletics in a post-game interview. “Western has my whole heart, and I love everything about it.”
Engle’s career with the soccer team began when the women’s team coach approached Engle’s former volleyball coach, Travis Hudson, looking for “tall, athletic people that could possibly play goalie,” Engle said in the post-game interview. The starting WKU goalie tore her ACL, leaving the team with just one goalie on its roster.
The accolades Engle accumulated during her four years on the volleyball team speak to her athleticism, and though she admits to being nervous during her first soccer game, she proved that she can fill in the net when needed for her team.
🏐➡️⚽️🤔
— WKU Soccer (@WKU_Soccer) August 31, 2018
Hey @WKUVolleyball, we've got a new goalkeeper on the roster and heard you might know her...
Might have won a few championships with you guys recently? #GoTops pic.twitter.com/0DDqPa6yez
As a volleyball player, she ranks Top 10 in team history for sets and games played, and she’s also 11th in team history for block assists. A three-time All-Conference USA volleyball player, Engle is attempted to add to her legacy in a different sport.
