January 9, 2001
GREENVILLE, SC -- Furman women's soccer coach Brian Lee announced the team's 2001 captains in a team meeting this week. For the third time in school history a player will serve as captain for two consutive seasons as All America Kaye Brownlee joins fellow seniors Melissa Turner and Melissa Barnes as captains. The captains were selected by a team vote.
Brownlee joins Liz Bielefeld (98) and Sarah Tollick (00) as the only back-to-back captains in the program's history. Brownlee is one of the most decorated female athletes in Furman history as she has been both a soccer and scholar first team All America selection (NSCAA first team All America as a sophomre and NSCAA Scholar first team All America as a junior). Brownlee is Furmanšs all-time leader in career assists with 47 and ranks in the top 25 all-time in career assists.
Melissa Turner is one of the most well respected members of the team as she is a versatile player on the field and leader off the field. Turner was also a 2000 NSCAA Scholar All America as she was a third team choice. Turner has tallied 36 goals and 100 points over her career, both good for second all-time at Furman. She finished tenth in Divison I last season in total points with 49.
Melissa Barnes rounds out Furman's three-member leadership team. Barnes, Furmanšs starting goalkeeper for the last three seasons is the most successful keeper in Furman history. She has tallied 255 saves and 19 shutouts while posting a 1.10 career goals against average in 59 career starts.
"We will enter the 2001 season with the most senior-laden team we have ever had," said Lee. "I am counting on these three in addition to all eight of our seniors to lead this program into unchartered waters in 2001."
Furman is coming off one of its best seasons ever as the Lady Paladins finished the season 20-3. Furman achieved a national ranking of 13th in two different polls this season and won the Southern Conference regular season with a perfect 9-0 league mark for the second straight year. Furman also advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.