Among hundreds of top professional and college athletes nominated for one of thirty-three annual ESPY awards is Dartmouth College class of 2001 graduate Kristin Luckenbill '01. Luckenbill, commonly referred to as "Lucky" on the pitch, joins Brazilian National Team star Katia, 2002 WUSA MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Marinette Pichon, and German National Team 2001 player of the year Birgit Prinz in the pack nominated for Best Female Soccer Player.
Though ESPN placed their bet on Katia, Lucky nevertheless feels "very honored to be going to the ESPY awards this year." Regardless of whether or not her purse comes home with a new trophy tucked inside, she is "looking forward to enjoying the festivities and meeting some amazing athletes and people." Such modesty is certainly admirable, but let's look at why our ex-Big Green is deserving of this award.
While also a member of the Dartmouth ski team, Luckenbill earned first team All-Ivy League status four times and was named Collegiate All-American three times as a goalkeeper for the Big Green Women's Soccer team. As a freshman she was recognized as Ivy League Rookie of the Year and as a sophomore, Ivy League Player of the Year. She continues to hold the all-time record of 31 shutouts and a goals against average of (0.68).
As if Lucky's unprecedented collegiate accomplishments didn't leave large enough shoes for current goalkeepers Julia Shields '04 and Anne Marbarger '05 to fill, she has continued reeling in the awards on the professional level. Why stop as a three time Collegiate All-American when you have the ability to dominate at the professional level?
After a short stint with the Boston Bolts in the W-League, a minor women's pro circuit, Luckenbill joined the Carolina Courage as a tenth round draft pick in the league's inaugural season.
The 2001 season ended on a sour note for the Courage as they finished last in the league with a record of 6-12-3. Fortunately, with Luckenbill between the pipes, the team turned it around in 2002 and captured the regular season championship. In this second season, Lucky's success matched that of the team's.She was awarded player of the week on April 28, 2002, co-player of the month of April and finally, 2002 WUSA Goalkeeper of the Year.
Looking to build off team and personal successes established during the 2002 season, Luckenbill returned to the Carolina Courage in 2003. Unfortunately, the season didn't begin as smoothly as the previous one ended. Just two weeks into the season, Lucky-not so luckily-tore a ligament in her thumb, requiring surgery and benching her for two months.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the team struggled without Luckenbill; the defending champions opened the season by losing five out of the first six games. After the injury, Luckenbill admits to feeling "a little nervous about my play in the first few games back because I just didn't seem to have the same level of coordination that I had before the injury." Despite the initial setbacks in the beginning of the season, the team is back in the race for the playoffs while Luckenbill feels that she is playing as well as ever.
For Luckenbill, short term goals include qualifying for the playoffs and if accomplished, from there repeating last season's championship. At this point, an ESPY certainly wouldn't be refused, but fortunately Luckenbill is still quite young in her potential career as a professional goalkeeper. Having been nominated for such a prestigious award only two seasons into her play is an accomplishment in and of itself.
For those that are not familar with this award, the ESPYs are the Oscars of the sporting world. Instead of spending an evening laughing at the remarks of Steve Martin or Billy Crystal or star-gazing after Mathew McConaughey or Julia Roberts, Luckenbill will join hundreds of other gifted athletes and sports fans admiring the bodies of David Beckham or Landon Donovan, squished between Derrick Brooks or Shaquille O'Neal or simply enjoying the presence of Tiger Woods, the Williams sisters and Walter Ray Williams Jr. (nominee for best bowler).
If Luckenbill returns empty handed from this years awards, at this rate, she is likely to add an ESPY to her trophy collection in the future. She "would like to be playing soccer for as long as possible" and "certainly can't think of anything else [she'd] rather be doing."
