Sept. 2, 2008
By Anthony Naglieri, Assistant Sports Information Director
Lizzie Barnes has never been one to shy away from a new challenge.
Since arriving in Annapolis, Barnes not only has met the many academic, athletic, and professional demands of academy life, but she has effectively raised the standards of excellence for Navy student-athletes.
Headed into her senior season, the 5-foot-10 goalkeeper finds herself ranked among the top of the Class of '09 and at the forefront of the most successful run in the 15-year history of the Navy women's soccer program.
"Lizzie is an elite student-athlete," said head coach Carin Gabarra. "She has the fortitude, spirit and perseverance it takes to succeed whether it is on the field, in the classroom or within her company. I feel honored to have such a quality person as a part of our program."
Coming out of high school in Louisiana, where she was a two-sport star and a three-time all-state soccer selection, Barnes admittedly didn't know much about the Naval Academy. Other than a distant relative or two she believes may have served, most of what she did know came from a rather atypical source.
"I didn't have any military background, so pretty much all I knew came from watching the TV show, 'JAG'," explained Barnes. "I used to watch it with my family all the time when I was younger. I remember my parents always joked about how good I would be in the Navy."
Her parents just may have been onto something. Though, when the time began for her to actually start looking ahead, like many high school-age students, she was unsure of what the future held. She knew she wanted to continue with soccer, but where that would take her remained a major question mark.
When an Academy grad came to talk at her high school career day, she had found her answer.
"I think I was the only one interested. Everyone else was sort of falling asleep, but I kept raising my hand and asking questions. As soon as the presentation ended, I went right down to my soccer coach and told her I was going to the Naval Academy."
While her coach initially chalked the declaration up to youthful exuberance, Barnes was determined to see it to fruition.
Although a handful of schools recruited the gifted high school keeper, after attending the Academy's Summer Seminar prior to her senior year, she immediately knew Annapolis was the place for her.
"Summer Seminar sealed it for me. After that I knew this was where I wanted to be. Becoming an officer seemed like something I could do, and it was something different from my classmates. I knew it would be a challenge, but I also knew it was achievable."
Some four years later, the achievements will not stop rolling in for the Navy senior - on the field and off.
In her two seasons as Navy's top keeper, Barnes has established herself as one of the nation's premier players at her position, while leading the Midshipmen to a 35-7-5 overall mark and the program's first back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances.
As a sophomore first-year starter, she put together one of the best single-season goalkeeping performances in NCAA history. She turned away an amazing 84 of the 90 shots on goal she faced, allowing just six goals over the entire season.
She finished the year as the nation's leader in goals-against average and save percentage, while posting a school- and league-record 13 shutouts. Her 93.3 save percentage stands No. 1 in the Navy record books, as does her .292 goals-against average (11th in NCAA history).
Amongst Barnes' exploits was an incredible scoreless streak, which included 10-straight shutouts and spanned 11 matches, in which she stood in net for 859:23 without allowing a goal, the seventh-longest mark for consecutive shutout minutes in NCAA history. Her 10 shutouts during the stretch tied as the fifth most in the NCAA record books.
Her dominance on the backline was a key cog in Navy's magical run during the 2006 campaign. The team amassed a school-record 21 wins, captured its second Patriot League crown, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
When all was said and done it had amounted to what is inarguably considered the most successful season enjoyed by any women's athletic team in Naval Academy history.
"It was like living in the clouds, we didn't want to come down," recalled Barnes. "It was just awesome. The defense was amazing. Everybody worked for each other. Everything clicked. Everything was on - all the time."
Throughout the year, the team enjoyed several unforgettable moments, including a 1-0 victory over ninth-ranked Penn State, the program's first win over a nationally-ranked opponent. Along with the team's Patriot League crown came an NCAA First Round date with 20th-ranked William & Mary, which after 110 scoreless minutes, sent both teams into a penalty kick shootout.
Very fittingly, it was on Barnes' back-to-back saves of the Tribe's fifth and sixth PK attempts that the Midshipmen would punch their ticket into the second round.
By the end of the season, Barnes had garnered an almost endless array of honors and Navy firsts, while attracting her share of national attention.
She became the first Midshipmen netminder to be named Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, as well as the first to earn NSCAA and Soccer Buzz All-Region honors. Additionally, if you happened to pick up the November 6, 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated, you would have seen her smiling face gracing the magazine's Faces in the Crowd feature.
As if that were not impressive enough, her breakout campaign also earned her a spot on the 2007 Preseason Hermann Trophy Watch List - the first time a player from Navy or any Patriot League institution has been recognized on the prestigious list.
"It was flattering to be mentioned among all of those tremendous players," said the modest Barnes. "Honestly, though, it was a credit to my team. I wouldn't have received any of the awards without the play and support of my teammates."
Barnes was one of three goalkeepers among the 46 players recognized on the watch list for the highest level of individual achievement in the sport.
"When I think of the Hermann Trophy, I think of the honor and tradition associated with the award," said Gabarra, a 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist and former teammate of previous MAC Herman Trophy winners Michelle Akers (1988), Kristine Lilly (1991), Mia Hamm (1992, '93), Tisha Venturini (1994), Shannon MacMillan (1995) and Cindy Parlow (1997). "It was a great honor for her to be recognized by the coaches on a national level as having one of the best goalkeeping performances in NCAA history. She is and always will be a team player first, but her achievements have created an incredible standard of goalkeeping at Navy."
A year removed from the program's banner year, Barnes headed into her junior season amid lofty expectations. And while she was unable to match her gaudy 2006 numbers, by the end of the year, the Barnes-led Navy defense was impenetrable. She concluded 2007 with a solid 1.02 goals-against average and a league-best eight solo shutouts to her credit.
When the stakes were at their highest, Barnes was at her best. She recorded shutouts in seven of Navy's final 11 games, including a pair during Patriot League postseason play for the second straight season to help secure the program's third Patriot League title and NCAA appearance in the last five years.
"Last year was kind of rough for us in the beginning, but we learned from it," said Barnes. "We picked up our play as the heart of the schedule came along, and really came together as a team and got the job done."
Despite the laundry list of accolades she has earned during her playing career, her goal, first and foremost, has always been the success of the team and the program.
"As a goalkeeper, I wouldn't be anywhere without my teammates in front of me," said Barnes. "I need my defense as much as they need me. I always know they're out there working for me and I just try to return that effort the best I can. The individual honors and awards are nice, but it is really a team thing more than anything else."
It is this selfless, team-first approach that sets her apart according to Navy assistant coach and former All-America goalkeeper Rob Blanck.
"Lizzie's statistics are clearly record-setting, but it would be unfair to judge her success solely on her numbers," said Blanck, who heads into his 14th year at the Academy this fall. "Although Lizzie is a great shot-stopper and does well with her feet, as you get to the highest levels, goalkeeping is more than just making saves.
"She has all the intangibles and qualities you look for in a leader. Her calm disposition puts the team at ease during matches, while her competitiveness helps everybody when we train. It is the perfect mix really."
When Blanck recruited Barnes, he saw a keeper who would help the program, but even he acknowledges that he never envisioned such sudden success.
"Coming out of Louisiana, not exactly a soccer hotbed, she had all the tools, but I have to admit that I thought it would take a little more time for Lizzie to accomplish all she has. She has earned everything and I couldn't be happier for her."
While the New Orleans native has quickly developed into one of the nation's top goalkeepers, her rise to prominence at the position took a more humble path.
"I was the slow kid," said Barnes. "I was one of the slowest players on my youth team growing up, so they just stuck me in goal. I am still not a good runner. I'm not bad, but it is always hard for me, especially when I am trying to keep up with the girls on the team. I guess you can say it has worked out alright though." Slow or not, her on-the-field performance over the past-two seasons has solidified her place among the most decorated players to ever put on the Navy Blue and Gold uniform.
And while the credit for Barnes' unprecedented run of success is deservedly shared amongst her teammates, in the classroom, where the keeper owns a 3.86 cumulative grade-point average, it is difficult not to marvel at her individual exploits.
A double major in computer science and information technology, Barnes posted a 4.0 GPA in four of her last five semesters, while twice being named to the Superintendent's and Commandant's Lists and earning Dean's List mention four times.
She was one of four goalkeepers and 36 total players to earn Academic All-America honors and the only netminder to have been named to the first team following the 2006 season.
A first-team academic all-district selection a year ago, she begins the fall semester among the top five percent in academic order of merit among 1,070 students in the Class of 2009. Moreover, she is also respected within the hall where she is ranked 24th in military order of merit amongst her classmates.
For any student, athlete or not, these achievements indeed speak loudly. But for a student-athlete to perform at this high of a level both on and off the field, while also meeting the physical and mental challenges of service academy life, is truly special.
For Barnes, the balancing act has never been much of a burden.
"It is different as an athlete, but not necessarily harder," explained Barnes. "I like it a lot and always have really. I enjoy having that structure in my life. Sometimes you get a bit worn down and you just want to sleep for an entire day, but you can't. You get over that. I've always felt that the more things I have to do, the more productive I am. I never really struggle finding the time for it all, I just make sure to get the most out of the time I do have."
This past summer, she kept up her busy schedule, spending five weeks interning at the NATO headquarters in Brussels before leaving on a four-week service cruise. Upon her return, Barnes spent much of August on Plebe Detail helping to introduce the Academy's newest appointees to the many challenges of midshipman life during Plebe Summer.
Upon graduation, Barnes hopes to pursue a career as a Surface Warfare Officer/Information Professional (SWO/IP), where she will harness the leadership skills that have taken her to the top of her class and made Navy women's soccer into one of the most competitive programs in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
"Members of a true team will do anything for each other to accomplish their goals," said Barnes. "I hope to be the type of leader in my career that can inspire that kind of dedication and commitment in others. In the military, you are always going to have people working under and alongside you, striving to achieve a common goal. And it's not much different in soccer."
As for now, Navy's all-time goals-against leader has her sights set on a third straight Patriot League title and a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. Despite the team's recent success, Barnes and her fellow teammates are taking nothing for granted.
"Everybody is excited and everybody is ready to work," said Barnes. "We know that nothing will be given to us and we are never comfortable with where we are. Every year our definition of `best' changes and every year there is always room to improve and raise our level of play."
Barnes entered the 2008 season with 21 career shutouts - just one away from tying Kim Bonafede '04 for the program record.
As the clock begins to tick away on her collegiate career, Barnes isn't too concerned with her place in the annals of Navy soccer history. Instead, she is simply relishing the time she has left to indulge in her favorite pastime.
"I get to hang out with an awesome group of girls, my best friends," said Barnes. "We hang out and play soccer. To me, those are two of the best things in the world."
