University of Tennessee Athletics
SIRI MULLINIX NAMED VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACH FOR SOCCER
July 29, 2002 | Soccer
July 29, 2002
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
Former University of North Carolina All-American and current professional soccer player Siri Mullinix was named as a volunteer assistant coach for the Tennessee women's soccer team on Thursday. Mullinix, who competes for the Washington Freedom of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), will begin her work with the Lady Vols in August after the completion of the league's second season.
"Siri is a tremendous addition to our coaching staff," said Head Coach Angela Kelly, who will be entering her third season at the helm of the Orange and White. "She is vying for a role on the 2003 U.S World Cup team and is playing extremely well for the Freedom this season. We share the same philosophies and I look forward to working with her. She will bring a lot of international experience to our program."
A founding player in the WUSA and the starting goalkeeper for the United States National team at the 2000 Olympics, she will lend her knowledge to UT's youthful squad. Mullinix played in 29 matches for the U.S. National Team in 2000, the most ever by an American goalkeeper in a calendar year. She established the U.S. record for shutouts in a year with 15 and compiled a record of 18-5-5 with a goals against average of 0.60.
A three-year starter at North Carolina between 1996-98, she was a member of three Atlantic Coast Conference and two NCAA championship teams and ranks second on the school's list with a career GAA of 0.27. The keeper recorded 16 shutouts as a senior and 12 shutouts as a junior, when she led the 'Heels to the NCAA title in her hometown of Greensboro, N.C., and was chosen as the Defensive MVP of the NCAA Tournament. Mullinix earned her bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science from UNC in 1999. She is engaged to Vol associate tennis coach Chris Mahony.
Returning 20 letterwinners and all 11 starters, the Lady Vols will kick off their seventh season of competition on Friday, Aug. 30, in Raleigh, N.C., against Duke. The week before starting the regular season, UT will have an exhibition match on Friday, Aug. 23, against UAB in Huntsville, Ala., at 7 p.m. CT. The Orange was 11-6-1 overall in 2001 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
THE MULLINIX FILE
- U.S. National Team: A member of the USA's 2000 Olympic Residency Camp, she won the starting goalkeeper position, taking advantage of injuries to incumbent Briana Scurry, and started every match in the 2000 Olympics...Earned a spot as one of four goalkeepers in residency camp for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup after a solid career at North Carolina and four years in the U.S. Under-21 National Team program...2001: Played in just one match for the USA, earning a shutout against Canada on July 3...2000: Played in 29 matches, starting 28...Set the U.S. record for shutouts in a year with 15, breaking the mark of 12 held by Briana Scurry...Compiled a record of 18-5-5 while allowing 16 goals...Started every key match for the USA, including all five contests at the Olympics...Earned a shutout against Norway in the Algarve Cup Final and a shutout of Brazil in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final...Earned two more shutouts of Norway, one more against Germany and one against Brazil in the Olympic semifinal, making a big save late in the game to preserve the win...Became the USA's second-most capped goalkeeper in history...1999: Earned her first full national team cap against Japan in Atlanta, Ga., on May 2, 1999.
- Youth National Teams: Was a member of the Under-20 National Teams that competed in the Nordic Cup in Sweden in 1996 and in Denmark in 1997, playing in a first-round match against Iceland as the USA went on to win the championship ...Missed out on a spot on the 1998 Nordic Cup team due to injury...Returned to the Under-21 Nordic Cup team in 1999, helping the USA regain the championship...Member of the Under-16 National Team in 1999.
- Professional/Club: A player in the WUSA for the Washington Freedom, she played in 18 matches and allowed 30 goals for a 1.67 GAA in 2001...She made 85 saves, fourth best in the league and was third in catch/punches with 84...Had off-season surgery on her right shoulder...Played youth club for the '78 Greensboro Twisters, winning state titles in 1990, '91, '92 and '95...Finished third at the Southern Regionals in 1992 and 1995...The MVP of the 1995 North Carolina Youth Soccer Under-17 championships...Was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Sportsmanship Award at the 1995 Southern Regionals and was also named outstanding goalkeeper.
- College/High School: A three-year starter at UNC, she played in 90 career matches for the Tar Heels...Was a member of three ACC and two NCAA championship teams during her career...Finished her career with a 0.27 goals against average, second-best in UNC history...Started all 26 matches as a senior, helping the 'Heels to the NCAA final in 1998...Allowed just seven goals as a senior while compiling a 0.30 goals against average with 16 shutouts...Played in 26 games as a junior, starting 15, allowed just three goals and compiled a 0.19 goals against average with 12 shutouts on the way to winning the NCAA championship in her hometown of Greensboro, N.C...Named the Defensive MVP of the 1997 NCAA Tournament...Played in 25 matches for UNC as a sophomore, allowed just six goals and started 16 tilts, including two in the ACC Tournament and four of five in the NCAA Tournament, including the national semifinal and championship match, where she put on a stellar performance in helping the Tar Heels to the title...Had 10 shutouts and a 0.38 goals against average...Earned a 120-minute shutout in the NCAA championship match against Notre Dame...As a freshman, she backed-up All-American and former national team goalkeeper Tracy Ducar...Started nine of 13 matches in which she played, earning five shutouts...Started against four nationally-ranked opponents and surrendered no goals in 180 minutes of action...Allowed only one goal all season...Skipped her senior year of high school and came to North Carolina after her junior year at Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, N.C...Was a First-Team All-State selection and conference MVP in 1995...Led RHS to the 1994 state championship and was the tournament MVP...Also an All-State pick in 1994...Was also MVP of the basketball team at Ragsdale.
