The NCAA News - Briefly in the News

October 27, 1997

Before the weekend of October 10, only four players in the history of Division II women's soccer had scored 70 or more career goals. Now, however, the total is seven.

The NCAA does not maintain soccer records, but according to John Kean, sports information director at the University of Missouri, Rolla, this is the first time for three active players to have as many as 70 career goals.

The first of the three to reach 70 was Missouri-Rolla's Natalie Sanders, a senior forward who scored four times October 10 in a win over Southwest Baptist University. She finished the weekend with 72 goals and became the active scoring leader in Division II when she scored the game-winning goal in overtime for a 2-1 victory over Metropolitan State College of Denver.

On October 11, junior Pauliina Miettinen of Franklin Pierce College posted a four-goal game as she helped the Ravens, the top-ranked team in Division II, defeat Southern Connecticut State University. She ended the game with 70 career goals.

Finally, senior Sharon Polastry scored a hat trick for Quinnipiac College October 12, ending the weekend with 71 goals.

One more player, Terri Meierhofer of East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, has a chance to reach the 70-goal plateau. She had scored 64 through October 12.

The all-time leader is way out there. Heidi Schuberth of New Hampshire College tallied 107 goals from 1983 to 1986.

Never too late

After nearly a quarter-century away from the classroom, Pam Kaylor has proved that one is never too old to return to an academic environment -- or never too old to play competitive tennis at the collegiate level.

Kaylor turned 43 October 8, but she nonetheless has been a pleasant addition to a Millersville University of Pennsylvania tennis program that is enjoying its best season ever.

Kaylor, who has played primarily in the second singles and third doubles flights this fall, also has participated in shutouts along the way. Playing against opponents young enough to be her daughter, she has won seven of 10 singles matches without surrendering a game. She has been equally strong in doubles, winning 10 of 11. "I felt that after 24 years of working as a secretary that I had unfinished business," she said. "It was a personal goal of mine to go to college and earn a degree."

Academic contribution

Texas Tech University women's basketball coach Marsha Sharpe is a proven motivator, having coached her team to the 1993 Division I Women's Basketball Championship.

Now she's trying to motivate by example with a major Texas Tech athletics fund-raising program.

On October 1, Sharpe presented a check for $100,000 to the university toward a proposed academic services building for athletes. She made the presentation, complete with an oversized check, in a public setting in order to encourage others to contribute to the academic center, which is expected to cost $2 million.

"I hope people really take a look at it and try to join us and make it happen," she told The Associated Press. "I will meet anyone, any place, any time, any group to talk about it, to try to share this dream and share my enthusiasm."

Sharp, who also serves as an associate athletics director, has an annual salary of $200,000.

Brother act

Three brothers on the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy's men's soccer team led their team to a 4-0 victory over Manhattanville College October 15.

Senior midfielder Sean Pribyl, sophomore midfielder Shea Pribyl and stepbrother Dave Brecheisen, a sophomore goalkeeper -- all from Overland Park, Kansas -- made significant contributions to the win. Shea tallied a goal and an assist while Sean had two assists. Brecheisen, in his first collegiate start, had six saves in getting the shutout.

-- Compiled by David Pickle