Briana Scurry

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Briana Scurry

| image = Briana Scurry (13856371004) (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Scurry in 2014

| fullname = Briana Collette Scurry{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/FWWC/2007/pdf/FWWC_2007_SquadLists.pdf |title=FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007 – List of Players: USA |publisher=FIFA |page=16 |date=September 15, 2007 |access-date=April 10, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923143137/https://www.fifadata.com/document/FWWC/2007/pdf/FWWC_2007_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2019}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|09|07|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}

| position = Goalkeeper

| youthyears1 = 1986–1989

| youthclubs1 = Anoka High School

| collegeyears1 = 1989–1993

| college1 = UMass Minutewomen

| collegecaps1 =

| collegegoals1 =

| years1 = 2001–2003

| clubs1 = Atlanta Beat

| caps1 =

| years2 = 2009–2010

| clubs2 = Washington Freedom

| goals1 =

| nationalyears1 = 1994–2008

| nationalteam1 = United States

| nationalcaps1 = 175

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2018

| managerclubs1 = Washington Spirit (assistant)

| club-update =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}

}}

Briana Collette Scurry (born September 7, 1971) is an American retired soccer goalkeeper. Scurry was the starting goalkeeper for the United States women's national soccer team at the 1995 World Cup (3rd place), 1996 Summer Olympics (gold medal), 1999 World Cup (champions), 2003 World Cup (3rd place), and the 2004 Summer Olympic Games (gold medal). She played in the semi-final and playoff for third place in the 2007 Women's World Cup (3rd place). She was a founding member of the WUSA, playing three seasons as starting goalkeeper for the Atlanta Beat (2001–2003).

Her career total of 173 international appearances is the second most among female soccer goalkeepers. It is also the fifteenth most of any American female player, and the thirty-second most among all women.

Scurry was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on August 3, 2017. She was the first woman goalkeeper and first black woman to be awarded the honor.{{cite news |last=Goff |first=Steven |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/08/04/for-u-s-womens-soccer-a-3-0-victory-and-a-hall-of-fame-honor/ |title=For U.S. women's soccer, a 3–0 victory and a Hall of Fame honor |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=2017-09-26}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/08/03/15/38/20170803-news-hof-briana-scurry-dr-joe-machnik-national-soccer-hall-of-fame-class-of-2017 |title=Briana Scurry, Dr. Joe Machnik Elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2017 |publisher=U.S. Soccer |date=2017-08-03 |access-date=2017-09-26}}{{cite web |author=By STAR TRIBUNE SPORTS August 4, 2017 — 1:23am |url=http://www.startribune.com/briana-scurry-winner-of-world-cup-and-gold-medals-from-anoka-headed-to-hall-of-fame/438369183/ |title=Anoka's Scurry keeps trailblazing, named to soccer Hall of Fame |publisher=StarTribune.com |date=2017-08-04 |access-date=2017-09-26 |archive-date=September 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926143336/http://www.startribune.com/briana-scurry-winner-of-world-cup-and-gold-medals-from-anoka-headed-to-hall-of-fame/438369183/ |url-status=dead }} She is openly gay, and on June 1, 2018, she married Chryssa Zizos, CEO of Live Wire Strategic Communications, LLC.

In 2022, Scurry released her best-selling memoir, My Greatest Save.{{Cite web |date=July 27, 2022 |title=Soccer Champion Briana Scurry |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/07/25/1113437267/soccer-champion-briana-scurry |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=NPR}} Scurry was also the subject of The Only, a CBS feature-length documentary chronicling her life that was released in 2022.

Early life

Scurry was born in Minneapolis, MinnesotaShipley, Amy. [https://archive.today/20130131153203/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/42816313.html?dids=42816313:42816313&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+30,+1999&author=Amy+Shipley&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=For+U.S.+Women,+Scurry+Bares+Her+Soul+in+Goal;+In+Quarterfinals,+It's+Do+or+Die+in+the+Net&pqatl=google "For U.S. Women, Scurry Bares Her Soul in Goal; In Quarterfinals, It's Do or Die in the Net"], The Washington Post, June 30, 1999. Accessed March 17, 2012. "She said she was the only African-American student in her elementary school and usually the only African-American on her soccer teams." to parents, Ernest and Robbie Scurry. She is the youngest of nine children, with three brothers and five sisters.{{cite book|last=Christopher|first=Matt|title=In the Goal with... Briana Scurry|year=2000|publisher=Brown Little|isbn=9780316093903|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aqHLYfbEj7wC&q=briana+scurry+parents&pg=PT4}}

She played goalie for the Anoka High School Tornadoes for four years and was instrumental in their Minnesota State Championship win in 1989 which ended in a shootout victory. In high school, Scurry ran track and played floor hockey and softball, but basketball was her first and deepest love.{{cite web|last=DeSimone|first=Bonnie|title=That Scurry, She's A Real Keeper|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/06/21/that-scurry-shes-a-real-keeper/|publisher=Chicago Tribune|access-date=September 22, 2012}}

Scurry was named Anoka High School's Athena Award winner as the school's top female athlete. She was also named High School All American and Minnesota's top female athlete.{{cite web|title=Briana Scurry|url=http://www.anoka.k12.mn.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=299972&|publisher=Anoka High School|access-date=September 22, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224111325/http://www.anoka.k12.mn.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=299972&|archive-date=December 24, 2012|df=mdy-all}}

In 2010, she was inducted into the Minnesota State High School Hall of Fame. In September 2011, Scurry was named to the inaugural class of the Anoka High School Hall of Fame.{{cite web|last=Levy|first=Paul|title=Anoka's Hall of Fame missing two big names: Keillor and Bachmann|url=http://www.startribune.com/local/129276683.html|publisher=StarTribune|access-date=September 22, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018131439/http://www.startribune.com/local/129276683.html|archive-date=October 18, 2012|df=mdy-all}}

University of Massachusetts

Scurry attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst and completed her four-year collegiate career with 37 shutouts in 65 starts and with a career record of 48–13–4 and a 0.56 goals-against-average

She split time in the net in 1992 during her junior season, starting 13 games and earning seven shutouts. Scurry played three games in 1992 as a forward.

In 1993, she helped lead the UMass Minutewomen to a 17–3–3 record, to the semifinals of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship and the titles of the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season and tournament. In her senior season, she started all 23 games and recorded 15 shutouts and a 0.48 goals-against average, the third best in the nation.

Scurry was named the National Goalkeeper of the Year in 1993 by the Missouri Athletic Club Sports Foundation and was a 1993 second-team All-American, All-Northeast Region and All-New England first-team selection.

Playing career

=Club=

Scurry was a founding player for the Atlanta Beat in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the world's first women's league where the players were paid as professionals.{{cite web|title=Briana Scurry bio|url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/scurry_briana/|publisher=ESPN|access-date=September 22, 2012|archive-date=January 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119114419/http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/scurry_briana/|url-status=dead}} She was the starting goalkeeper for the three seasons (2001–2003) of the league. She helped the Beat to two WUSA Championship Games and was named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year in 2003.{{cite web | title=Briana Scurry Officially Announces Retirement | date=September 8, 2010 | url=http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/dc/news/general/100908-scurry-retirement.aspx | access-date=September 11, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On March 13, 2009, Scurry was named to the preseason roster of the Washington Freedom, in the inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). She suffered a season-ending concussion{{cite news | title=Her Biggest Save: Soccer Star Confronts the Concussion that Killed her Career and Clouded her Life

| newspaper=The Washington Post | date=November 2, 2013 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2013/11/02/her-biggest-save/ | access-date=July 5, 2015}} early in the 2010 season, and announced her retirement later that year on September 8.

=International=

File:Briana Scurry.png

Scurry was a goalkeeper for the United States women's national soccer team for most of the years between 1994 and 2008, earning a record 173 caps for the United States. She started 159 of those games and finished her international career with a record of 133–12–14. She also earned 71 shutouts.{{cite web|title=Briana Scurry Retires From Professional Soccer|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/news/womens-national-team/2010/09/briana-scurry-retires-from-professional-soccer.aspx|publisher=US Soccer|access-date=September 22, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818051422/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2010/09/Briana-Scurry-Retires-From-Professional-Soccer.aspx|archive-date=August 18, 2012|df=mdy-all}}

Scurry's first appearance for the United States women's national soccer team was March 16, 1994, versus Portugal. Her first shutout was recorded the same day.{{cite web|title=Briana Scurry bio|url=http://www.soccerdivas.com/brianna_scurry.htm|publisher=Soccer Divas|access-date=September 22, 2012}}{{unreliable source?|date=May 2019}} In her first year with the US, she earned seven shutouts in 12 starts.{{cite web|title=Scurry, Briana|url=http://www.womensoccer.com/biogs/scurry.html|publisher=Women's Soccer World Online|access-date=September 22, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418204552/http://www.womensoccer.com/biogs/scurry.html|archive-date=April 18, 2012|df=mdy-all}}

She was a member of the Gold Medal-winning US Women's National Team at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta where she started and played in every minute of the team's five matches conceding only three goals.

Scurry played every minute of the 1999 Women's World Cup allowing only three goals and recording four shutouts. She saved one penalty during the shootout in the final against China and the United States won.{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Grahame L. |date=July 11, 1999 |title=U.S. Women Recapture the World Cup |page=B1 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jul-11-sp-55047-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 18, 2019}} Following the World Cup, Scurry announced her intention to play in the WNBA.{{cite news |date=July 17, 1999 |title=Scurry's next goal: playing in WNBA |url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/1999/07-17/0013_soccer__scurry_s_next_goal__playi.html |work=Kitsap Sun |agency=Associated Press |access-date=May 18, 2019}}

She started for the US in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2004 Summer Olympic Games. She also played two matches for the US in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and was the alternate goalkeeper on the 2008 Olympic Team.

On June 23, 2008, United States Women's Olympic soccer coach Pia Sundhage announced that Scurry would not be on the Olympic team.{{cite web|title=Solo selected for Olympics, Scurry left off roster|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=550612&sec=us&cc=5901|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103003115/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=550612&sec=us&cc=5901|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 3, 2013|publisher=ESNPN|access-date=September 22, 2012}} Her last match for the United States was on November 5, 2008, against the Korea Republic.

=Traumatic brain injury and recovery=

While playing in the Women's Professional Soccer league in 2010, Scurry [https://www.npr.org/2022/07/27/1112731819/soccer-briana-scurry-my-greatest-save-brain-injury suffered a traumatic brain injury] when a player from the opposing team collided with her knee into Scurry's right temple. The injury left Scurry temporarily totally disabled and she dealt with severe depression. To address her symptoms, Scurry underwent occipital nerve surgery{{Cite web |title=Her biggest save |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2013/11/02/her-biggest-save/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=Washington Post |language=en-US}} in 2013. Scurry has since rebuilt her life and become an advocate for increased concussion awareness and research, testifying before Congress twice.

Sports administration

Scurry was appointed general manager of the WPS franchise magicJack beginning with the 2011 season.{{Cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-03-28/sports/fl-soccer-women-freedom-boca-0327-20110328_1_magicjack-soccer-league-wps|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110413092550/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-03-28/sports/fl-soccer-women-freedom-boca-0327-20110328_1_magicjack-soccer-league-wps|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 13, 2011|title=Rusnak, Jeff. "Women's pro soccer team quietly moves to FAU," South Florida Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), Monday, March 28, 2011.}}

In February 2021, The Washington Post reported that Chelsea Clinton, Jenna Bush Hager, Dominique Dawes and Scurry were part of an investment group investing in the Washington Spirit.{{cite web|last=Polacek|first=Scott|title=Report: Chelsea Clinton, Jenna Bush Hager Among New Investors in NWSL's Spirit|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2932197-report-chelsea-clinton-jenna-bush-hager-among-new-investors-in-nwsls-spirit|access-date=February 17, 2021|website=Bleacher Report|language=en|archive-date=February 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217064012/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2932197-report-chelsea-clinton-jenna-bush-hager-among-new-investors-in-nwsls-spirit|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Goff|first=Steven|title=Chelsea Clinton, Jenna Bush Hager among several new Washington Spirit investors|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/02/16/washington-spirit-chelsea-clinton-jenna-bush/|access-date=February 17, 2021|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=June 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609234802/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/02/16/washington-spirit-chelsea-clinton-jenna-bush/|url-status=live}}

Broadcasting

Scurry was part of the rotation of studio commentators for ESPN's telecasts of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/media-kits/2011-womens-world-cup/2011-womens-world-cup-commentators/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614031557/http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/media-kits/2011-womens-world-cup/2011-womens-world-cup-commentators/|url-status=dead|title=2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Commentators – ESPN MediaZone.|archive-date=June 14, 2012}}

Since 2021, Scurry has served as a broadcast analyst for CBS soccer coverage. In 2022, she served as the lead desk analyst for the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-sports/releases/?view=100442-cbs-sports-showcases-concacaf-w-championship-culminating-with-on-site-coverage-from-mexico-for-semifinals-and-finals|title=Paramount Press Express | CBS SPORTS SHOWCASES CONCACAF W CHAMPIONSHIP CULMINATING WITH ON-SITE COVERAGE FROM MEXICO FOR SEMIFINALS AND FINALS|website=www.paramountpressexpress.com|date=June 22, 2022 }}

Coaching

On December 6, 2017, Scurry was announced as the First Assistant Coach of the Washington Spirit and would serve as Technical Advisor for the Spirit Academy programs in Maryland and Virginia.{{cite news|url=http://washingtonspirit.com/pro/uswnt-legend-national-soccer-hall-of-fame-inductee-briana-scurry-joins-washington-spirit-technical-staff/|website=Washington Spirit |title=USWNT legend, National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Briana Scurry joins Washington Spirit technical staff|date=December 6, 2017 |access-date=December 14, 2017}}

Honors and awards

1989 High School All-American
1989 Minnesota's High School Female Athlete of the Year
1993 All-New England, All-Northeast Region, and All-American
1993 National Collegiate Goalkeeper of the Year
1994 Most Valuable Player, Chiquita Cup
1994 Algarve Cup 2nd Place
1995 World Cup Bronze Medalist
1996 Olympic Gold Medalist
1998 Goodwill Games Gold Medalist
1999 Algarve Cup 2nd place
1999 World Cup Champion
1999 Best Goalkeeper Award -World Cup
2000 Algarve Cup runner up
2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup Champion
2000 Olympic Silver Medalist
2001 All-WUSA Second Team
2002 All-WUSA Second Team
2003 All-WUSA First Team
2003 WUSA Goalkeeper of the Year
2003 Algarve Cup Champion
2003 World Cup Bronze Medalist
2004 Algarve Cup Champion
2004 Olympic Gold Medalist
2006 CONCACAF Gold Cup Champion
2007 Algarve Cup Champion
2008 Peace Queen Cup Champion
2008 Four Nations Tournament Champion
2008 CONCACAF Tournament Champion
2014 UMass Minutewomen #1 retired {{Cite web|url=https://umassathletics.com/sports/2016/7/5/trads-numbers-html|title=Traditions|website=University of Massachusetts Athletics}}[https://www.hustlebelt.com/2014/3/3/5453538/umass-jersey-retirement-briana-scurry-uswnt UMass Holds Special Jersey Retirement For Former Women's Soccer Players April Kater & Briana Scurry] by Kellen Becoats at hustlebelt.com - Mar 3, 2014
2017 National Soccer Hall of Fame
2019: For their first match of March 2019, the women of the United States women's national soccer team each wore a jersey with the name of a woman they wanted to honor; goalkeeper Adrianna Franch chose Scurry.{{cite web|last=Ennis |first=Dawn |url=https://www.outsports.com/2019/3/4/18248520/lesbian-icons-honored-with-jerseys-worn-uswnt |title=Lesbian icons honored with jerseys worn by USWNT |date=March 4, 2019 |publisher=Outsports |access-date=2019-03-04}}
In Dayton, Minnesota where Scurry grew up, there is a soccer park named in her honor.
Her U.S. national soccer team jersey is in a permanent display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/national/title-ix-scurrys-career-law-forever-linked-at-smithsonian/article_faacd608-30a2-5ae0-aec5-0264b835ec1f.html|title=Title IX: Scurry's career, law forever linked at Smithsonian|first=ANNE M. PETERSON-AP Sports|last=Writer|website=STLtoday.com}}

Film and television

Scurry appeared as a fictionalized version of herself in the 2000 film Air Bud: World Pup. She was also the subject of the 2022 Paramount Plus documentary The Only, which was directed by Anthony J. Cortese and featured interviews with other USWNT players such as Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, and Abby Wambach.

References

External links

{{FIFA player|314}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20071011144725/http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/scurry.htm Bio on Soccer Times website]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120826131701/http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/WNT/S/Briana-Scurry.aspx Briana Scurry player profile]
[http://www.briscurry.com Briana Scurry Official Website]

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Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:African-American soccer players

Category:United States women's international soccer players

Category:Footballers at the 1996 Summer Olympics