Mo Isom: Female Kicker's Bid to Make LSU Tigers Falls Short

Not every sports story has a Hollywood ending. On Friday, female kicker Mo Isom found out as much when she did not make the LSU Tigers football team:

"

I am heartbroken, but my head is held high. Knowing I gave everything I had is the greatest victory. Unending thanks to my LSU football fam.

— Mo Isom (@MoIsom) August 24, 2012"

After playing soccer for four years, she still had one year of eligibility remaining and decided to give kicking a shot. Isom originally tried out for the team back in March and was invited back for another tryout.

She was looking to become the first female to score in a major college football game since Katie Hnida completed the feat back in 2003 with New Mexico. Isom would have been the first female to ever play in the SEC.

The former soccer player certainly made her mark on the pitch. As a goalie, she set school records in wins (43), shutouts (30), goals against average (0.86) and saves (235) during her illustrious career from 2008 to 2011.

If you read between the lines of the comments head coach Les Miles made last month, it was pretty clear Isom’s chances of making the team were rather slim (via The News Star): “She has the size and body strength to be a kicker. But we do have a lot of depth there.”

With senior Drew Alleman the most accurate kicker in school history at 88 percent (16-of-18) and sophomore James Hairston in charge of kickoffs (16 touchbacks in ’11), it was a tough position to crack.

The 6'1" Isom had reportedly booted a 51-yard field goal through the uprights during practice, according to Glenn Guilbeau of The News Star, but it wasn’t enough for Miles and the Tigers.

Follow Eric Ball on Twitter

Lead image courtesy of cbsnews.com.