By Mark Bohannon, SAC Media Relations Office

This is the sixth in a series of articles for 2005-06 that will periodically feature student-athletes from the league's member institutions who have distinguished themselves.

The Catawba College women’s soccer team won the 2005 South Atlantic Conference title led by high-scoring forward McKenzie Burman. As the Lady Indians prepare for the Food Lion SAC Tournament, she spoke with SAC intern Mark Bohannon.

Q: You were recently named the 2005 South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year. What does this award mean to you?

A: I was—and still am—pretty speechless about the award. I take winning this award as an exceptional compliment. My coach called and left a message on my phone, and when I listened to the message, I started screaming! I worked extraordinarily hard over the summer in order to win this award, and now that it has come true, I really feel like I have accomplished something. I feel like I lived in the gym this summer—training day in and day out. I also played indoor soccer for the first time this summer, which really helped me with some of the more tactical skills involved in soccer. Winning the award this season lets me set bigger goals for next season.

McKenzie Burman is the SAC women's soccer Player-of-the-Year. She believes the league is unbelievably tough, with the teams having competitive respect for each other. She wants to play professionally if possible. Photo courtesy Catawba College

Q: This year, you set a Catawba school record with 20 goals during the season. How does it feel to be in the record books?

A: I was pretty excited when I found out that I broke the school record for goals in a season. It was also pretty weird. I have played soccer my entire life and it felt strange receiving all of this new attention. I was just doing my job—I am supposed to score goals—and being recognized for something I am supposed to do was a little surprising, but an enormous honor nonetheless.

Q: This year alone you have amassed 10 game winning goals. What goes through your mind when the game is deadlocked?

A: Honestly, I really do not think about anything; I just play the game. I would assume that some athletes might have a different state of mind when the game is tied, but I don’t let it phase me. It’s all about doing what you are good at and getting the job done. If a goal needs to be scored, then we have to go out their and tally one up in order to get a win.

Q: Catawba did a great job of winning this season, going undefeated in SAC play and accumulating a 14-2-1 regular season record. Is there anything you would have done differently throughout the course of the season?

A: We had a reasonably good season, minus the two losses we endured. Those losses were without doubt setbacks for our team, but we knew that we had to put those losses behind us and move on. Overall, I would not have done anything differently. Our team went to Hawaii this preseason and that trip really helped with bonding our players together. It also helped in getting the freshmen involved in the team and making them feel like they were a part of the team. Hopefully we can do the same again next year.

Q: What are the team’s expectations going into the South Atlantic Conference Tournament?

A: Everyone seems really excited about the SAC Tournament, and we really want to win. As a matter of fact, we need to win the tournament. We have five seniors on our team that deserve to go as far as possible—they are the heart and soul of our team—and they deserve to be recognized as 2005 South Atlantic Conference Champions. We are ready and prepared to play. There are some exceptional teams in the SAC, so going in we know that winning the conference tournament is a fairly daunting task. Nevertheless, in the end we hope to be the SAC Champions of 2005.

Q: What do you enjoy most about playing in the South Atlantic Conference?

A: I love the competition. This is an unbelievably tough conference to play soccer in. Winning the regular season conference championship is an immense honor because the conference is so strong. Not only are the soccer teams fantastic athletically, they are also very respectable. Furthermore, there is lots of excitement in the South Atlantic Conference week in and week out. It’s a wonderful place to play women’s soccer.

Q: What are your plans upon graduation from Catawba College?

A: I want to play soccer in the US Professional Women’s League if it eventually starts back up again. I have played soccer since the age of four, and I really cannot imagine doing anything else with my life. I also have an interest in psychology because it helps me better understand why people are the way they are. Owning my own business in the area of interior design is something else that I have given some thought to recently, but for now I plan on focusing on finishing my undergraduate degree.