Wednesday, May 16, 2001
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Wednesday, May 16, 2001 |
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Local girls play for Atlanta's newest soccer team By BILLY
MURPHY
In Atlanta these days, soccer fans are singing, "We got the Beat." But this is not just some Go-Gos tune, this is Georgia's very own professional women's soccer team, The Atlanta Beat (theatlantabeat.com). Now Fayette County needs to join the sing-a-long and celebrate not one, but two players on Atlanta's WUSA soccer team, the Augustyniak twins from McIntosh High School, Julie and Nancy. The Women's United Soccer Association, the first-ever women's professional soccer league in the U.S., was formed in February 2000 and began play in April 2001. The Beat is Atlanta's entry into this soccer league, which features many founding players from 1999 World Cup Championship and 2000 Olympic teams, including Brandi Chastain and Mia Hamm. Nancy and Julie Augustyniak are 1997 graduates of McIntosh High School, where they were standouts in multiple sports, competing for MHS in soccer, softball, basketball and track. After excellent careers with Clemson University's women's soccer team, the Augustyniaks joined the Atlanta Beat. Julie and Nancy co-captained McIntosh High School's 1995 state championship team, and led Clemson to the final eight in the national championships in 2000. Both were drafted by Atlanta last December. As individuals, the pair's accomplishments are staggering. Nancy's honors at Clemson include Unsung Hero Award, first team All-ACC two years, Freshman of the Year, MVP two times, ACC tournament team, All Southeast Region Team, All American, and nominee for Player of the Year. Julie's honors at Clemson include second team All ACC, Iron Woman Award (most games played over career), Unsung Hero Award, ACC Tournament Team, All Southeast Region second team and Best Defensive Player. These are world class atheletes, right here in Peachtree City. Julie and Nancy spent this past Wednesday night at the Clemson Alumni annual spring meeting, where they made an appearance to update fellow Clemson students on their careers in the WUSA and surely to sign some autographs. They were also featured recently in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sunday paper fashion special. The Atlanta Beat play their home games at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium and you can catch them on TV on TNT, Fox Sports and CNN/SI. See their Web site for times/dates. The regular season runs through August. Overall the WUSA has been a rousing success throughout the nation, many times drawing more fans than local professional basketball and baseball games. Complete schedules and information can be found at http://theatlantabeat.com. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster. For some fun facts about the Augustinyiak twins, see my regular humor column and my interview with them. |
