Women's Soccer Southern Conference

Furman Women's Soccer Recruiting Class Earns National Rank

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Furman's women's soccer recruiting class has been ranked 31st in the country according to Soccer Buzz, it was announced this week.

Soccer Buzz, an internet site devoted solely to women's college soccer, ranked the top 50 recruiting classes in the nation. Texas A&M had the nation's top class followed by Notre Dame and North Carolina. Furman was the highest ranked Southern Conference school and seventh ranked Southeast region school. Furman's 31st-place ranking marks the fourth time in the last five year's that the Lady Paladins' incoming class has ranked in the top 50 (41st in 2000, 40th in 2001, 12th in 2002).

Head coach Brian Lee will welcome six freshmen to campus for preseason training in August, including members of both the Region I and III Olympic Development Program (ODP) Teams and an NSCAA High School All American.

"We have signed a very talented class," said Furman head coach Brian Lee. "I am looking forward to their arrival this Fall. Coupled with the talent we have returning this year, this freshman class should help us achieve great things this season

Joining the five-time defending Southern Conference regular season champions in 2004 will be Anna Betton, of Greensboro, N.C., Emily Krankowski, of Tabernacle, NJ, Catie Miller, of Raleigh, N.C., Mickey Palanza, of Wilmington, N.C., Katie Tucker, of Charlotte, N.C, and Gena Villari, of Raleigh, N.C.


Furman is coming off a 15-5-2 season in which it won the Southern Conference regular season title for the fifth consecutive year. The Lady Paladins have been to the NCAA Tournament in three of the last five seasons.