Rebekah McDowell

Position:
Midfielder
Height:
5-8
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Lakewood, Colo.
High School:
Wheat Ridge

General--A three-year starter for Carolina at the playmaking midfield position...preseason All-America selection by Soccer America (first team) and College Soccer Weekly Online (second team)...has arguably been the nation's most improved player over the past three years...was a member of the 1998 U.S. Under-21 Girls National Team which trained in Portland, Ore. July 5-12, 1998 and then played a series of international friendlies...had outstanding freshman, sophomore and junior years for the Tar Heels...could play almost anywhere in the midfield for Coach Anson Dorrance's team...actually she is such a good athlete that she could conceivably play anywhere on the field for the Tar Heels...will most likely see most of her playing time at the playmaking center midfield position or as a left halfback...she is arguably the most outstanding all-around athlete on the Tar Heel team...was named by 1983 Tar Heel alumna Lauren Gregg to a spot on the United States' under-21 women's national team which played in the Nordic Cup in Denmark, August 4-8, 1997...was one of eight Tar Heels on that team....a dynamic center midfielder who is an attacking player but also gets back well on defense...greatly strengthens the Tar Heels' midfield...a strong playmaker...possesses a great work rate...is tough defensively.

U.S. Women's National Team Experience--Was one of 18 players chosen for the 1998 U.S. Women's Under-20 National Team that played in the Nordic Cup in Holland August 3-9...it was the third successive year that she was chosen for the Nordic Cup Team.

1998 Season--Continued to show tremendous improvement during her sophomore year...led the Atlantic Coast Conference in assists last year with 18...named a first-team All-America by Soccer News and College Soccer Weekly Online...was a second-team All-America as chosen by Soccer Buzz and ESPN.com/Soccer Times...first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection...had four goals on the season as well for a total of 26 points...scored two of her goals against Colorado College...also scored goals against Notre Dame and Tennessee...had three assists in the win over San Francisco...had two-assist games against Baylor, Virginia and versus Clemson in the ACC Tournament final...played in all 26 games for the Tar Heels, starting 25 times...named to All-Tournament Team at 1998 ACC Tournament...first-team Soccer Buzz All-Southeast Region...named Most Valuable Player of 1998 Nike/Carolina Classic...named to All-Tournament Team at 1998 Duke adidas Women's Soccer Classic...named to All-Tournament Team at 1998 Lady Vol Women's Soccer Classic...named to Soccer News' Elite 11's for the 1998 season.

1997 Season--Started all 28 games for the Tar Heels...had six goals and nine assists for 21 points...scored two goals in the win over Wisconsin...scored her only game-winning goal of the season in UNC's 3-0 win over Santa Clara on October 19...had four assists in three games in the ACC Tournament, including two in the semifinals versus Clemson...had an assist on the game-winning goal in the NCAA quarterfinals against Harvard...was named an honorable mention All-America by Soccer News...was also tapped for Soccer News' Sophomore All-America Team...Soccer News named her the eighth best midfielder in the nation last year on its Elite 11 list...was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 1997 ACC Tournament...was named third-team All-Southeast Region by Soccer Buzz...was named to All-Tournament Teams at 1997 adidas/Eurosport Carolina Classic and 1997 Duke adidas Soccer Classic.

1996 Season--Had a solid freshman season for the Tar Heels in 1996...on a team filled with so many stars, her accomplishments were sometimes overlooked...she played in all 26 games for the Tar Heels and started 17 times...she had one goal and six assists on the season...scored the goal in the victory over UCLA...had assists versus Clemson in the regular season, William & Mary in the regular season, Vanderbilt, N.C. State, Virginia in the ACC Tournament and William & Mary in the NCAA Tournament...took a total of 20 shots on goal during the course of the season...was an honorable mention selection on Soccer Buzz's freshman All-America team...was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Wisconsin Soccer Invitational as the Tar Heels defeated Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Prep--In the top echelon of recruits in the country last year...one of the most incredibly versatile athletes ever to attend Carolina...U.S. National Team Pool player...a 1996 alumna of Wheat Ridge High School...named first-team All-League and All-State four consecutive years in high school for soccer...named an Umbro and Parade All-America for soccer...was the first runner ever in Colorado history to win four state high school cross country individual championships...a four-year All-Conference and All-State selection in that sport...a four-year letter winner in basketball...named first-team All-League three times and a two-time All-State honorable mention choice in hoops...named MVP of track, basketball, cross country and soccer teams at WRHS...named 1995 Female Prep Athlete of the Year by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame...an inductee into the Colorado Sportswomen Hall of Fame...a participant in U.S. Olympic Festival--'95 in Denver...also recognized throughout her high school career on various national and state All-Star teams...won the Fred Steinmark High School Athlete of the Year Award in 1996, the most prestigious award for high school athletes in Colorado...graduated with a 3.62 GPA....played on club soccer teams which won four state titles...member of under-20 National Team Pool...as is obvious, there is little she did not accomplish in her high school career either on an athletic or academic plane.

Personal--Daughter of Scott and Kathy McDowell...a National Honor Society member in high school...named first-team Academic All-State...plans to major in physical therapy...enjoys hiking and camping...born March 21, 1978 in Denver, Colo....given name is Rebekah Kay McDowell...has one brother and three sisters...her mother and father were both athletes at Wittenburg University and her brother was captain of soccer team at Holy Cross.

Rebekah McDowell's Career Statistics