December 7, 2001

NUSUM NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICAN FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR;
JOINS HIS FATHER IN ELITE COMPANY

GREENVILLE, SC -- Furman senior forward John Barry Nusum became the second Furman athlete to earn first team All-America honors three times as he was named to the NSCAA First Team All-America squad on Friday. Nusum also earned the award in 1999 and 2000.

Nusum is the 22nd player in NCAA Division I history to achieve such a feat and the first since Virginia'a Claudio Reyna ('91-'93), a U.S. National Team standout. Among those 21 other Division I soccer players to be named three-time first team All-Americans is Nusum's father John Nusum, a first team All-American at Philadelphia Textile (now Philadelphia University) in 1974, 1975, and 1977. Nusum's father went on to have a successful professional career in the MISL and the NASL.

John Barry Nusum joins Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer Angel Myers as Furman's only three-time first team All-Americans. Nusum, though, is the first to accomplish the feat in Division I, as Myers competed in Division II in 1986 before Furman swimming moved to Division I in 1987. Cindy Davis, Dottie Pepper, Caroline Peak, and Brad Faxon all were three-time All-Americans for the Furman golf team, but none were first team selections all three times.

Nusum, who was one of the three finalists for the Hermann Trophy as the nation's top college soccer player, leaves Furman as its all-time leader in goals and points. Nusum tallied 61 goals and 39 assists for 161 points over his career.

"I can't say enough about John Barry," said Furman head coach Doug Allison. "He has meant so much to this program over the last four years and to see him awarded as a first team All-American three consecutive years is tremendous. It is even more incredible when you realize that he is one of only 22 players to ever accomplish that feat and that is father is one of them."

Nusum helped lead Furman to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a quarterfinal finish in 1999. In addition to holding Furman career records in goals and points, Nusum holds the Furman single season goals and points record, as well as the single game goals and points mark. Furman produced a 71-15-4 overall record in Nusum's four seasons and won four Southern Conference titles.

Nusum will look to extend his soccer career as he will pursue opportunities to play professional soccer in either Europe or in MLS.

SMU's Luchi Gonzolez, who also won the Hermann Trophy, was selected as the NSCAA Player-of-the-Year.

2001 NSCAA FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICA