By Michael Haag | Sports Writer
Graduate student goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt has all the accolades an athlete could ask for. Her resume speaks for itself, as she is one of, if not, the greatest goalkeepers in Baylor history. With the state of the team at this point in the season, and the recent upset win over Texas Christian University, there is real reason to believe that Wandt is the best goalkeeper in the country.
I have firsthand experience watching Wandt’s true impact on the pitch. The outlook of the game is reliant upon her standing between the posts. There have been many occasions where she has bailed the team out and made a play. On the flip side, there have been times when she has not had to do much, yet her prowess is something that shows every game.
This season, Wandt has had three shutouts, giving her a total of 28 in her career, which is a program best and fourth in Big 12 history. Her ability to make plays around the posts and prevent opposing attackers from hitting the back of the net is up there with the best. Wandt also has 39 saves, with an average of 0.84 goals allowed per game. Simply put, she doesn’t allow many goals. She is a player opposing teams do not want to play against, as you can expect to see her out there giving her all and shutting down offenses.
Wandt has done this on a consistent level since being named a starter in 2017. After deciding to come back for her fifth season, she is now protecting the goalposts with four years of experience under her belt. The knowledge Wandt has learned from things such as being in the Elite Eight is hard to match. Without Wandt behind the back line, Baylor wouldn’t have been able to put on strong performances like they have thus far.
Wandt just received her third conference weekly award of the season, giving her eight in her career. This is a program best that she has been padding all season. She is also up to 50 wins in her career, another school record for her resume. Wandt deserves every bit of credit and recognition that she gets, yet her mentality is to give credit to the back line. A very humble leader for this team, she gets the job done and only worries about winning.
There are many goalkeepers in the country who are effective in their role, but no one can encompass the traits that Wandt embodies. A selfless, team-minded leader that has shown game in and game out that she is among the best in the country. There is no goalkeeper that can match her stature on the field, as her skill and awards are too much to counter. Do not miss out on watching one of the best goalkeepers in the nation, and one of the best to ever lay grace to the Baylor pitch.
