January 10, 2000

DOUG ALLISON SELECTED TO COACH EAST SQUAD AT UMBRO SELECT ALL STAR CLASSIC

GREENVILLE, SC -- Furman men's soccer coach Doug Allison has been selected to coach the East squad at the Umbro Select All Star Classic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Feb. 5.

Allison, the NSCAA South Region Coach-of-the-Year and finalist for the NSCAA National Coach-of-the-Year award, guided the Paladins to a 21-2-1 record and a quarterfinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Allison will coach the East squad with Miami Fusion head coach Ivo Wortman. The West squad will be led by the Chicago Fire's Bob Bradley and Seattle Pacific's Cliff McCrath. The East-West collegiate match features the top 40 seniors in the country and gives them a chance to showcase their talent in front of Major League Soccer teams. Furman midfielder Daniel Alvarez, a first team All American and the Paladins' all-time leader in assists, will play on the East squad.

"It is quite an honor to be selected to coach in Umbro Select All Star Classic," said Allison. "I am excited about the opportunity to coach some of the best seniors in the nation and to coach with a great professional coach in Ivo Worthman of the Miami Fusion. I am also thrilled to have the chance to coach Daniel Alvarez one more time."

The East-West men's game will be played Saturday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. That contest will be preceded by the United Soccer Leagues all-stars taking on a group of Major League Soccer all-stars at 6 p.m. Other events during the weekend include a banquet for the players, a Major League Soccer player combine, along with the Major League Soccer (Division I) and A-League (Division II) professional player drafts. The East-West women's game will also be played on Sunday, Feb. 6, following a nationally televised international match between the U.S. Women's National Team and the national team of Norway.

Allison is in his fifth season at the helm of the Paladin soccer program. In five seasons, Allison has tallied a 78-21-7 record as he is second among active Division I head coaches in winnig percentage behind Indiana's Jerry Yeagley. Since Allison's arrival at Furman in 1995, the Paladins have posted the fifth best record in the country.

Allison's 1999 squad was the most successful soccer team in school history and one of the most successful athletic teams in Furman history. Furman also finished the season in the nation's top twenty in scoring (14th), team defense (13th), and winning percentage (2nd). The Paladins finished with a perfect 8-0 Southern Conference mark and won the Southern Conference tournament championship.

Doug Allison is a 1989 graduate of South Carolina, where he still stands as the school's all-time leading scorer with 63 goals and 32 assists. Prior to his arrival at Furman, Allison served as an assistant coach at both South Carolina and North Carolina.