Elsby excels both on and off the field
Oct. 24, 2002
Senior Rachel Elsby, an outstanding goal keeper on the soccer team, has been selected the September 2002 Academic All-Star, leading the Hurricanes both on and off the field.
Elsby, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Immunology, receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Mirobiology/Immunology and English in May 2002. She received recognition in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and colleges as well as Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. She is a two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star and a recipient of the University of Miami Graduate Fellowship. She also served as a member on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Elsby’s athletic accomplishments are as vast as her academic ones. In 2002, she started all 11 matches, racking up a record of 7-3-1 with two shutouts. 1,010 minutes in goal, defending 109 shots with 35 saves and 15 goals against. She had a GAA of 1.34 and a GS% of .700.
In 2001, she started 12 of 15 matches played and had a record of 7-4-1 with two shutouts, tallying 1,047 minutes in goal. She defended 127 shots with 46 saves and 20 goals against and had a GAA of 1.72 and a GS% of .697. Elsby was named BIG EAST Goalie of the Week after posting two shutouts allowing just one goal in 270 minutes. She made 13 saves, including seven in the victory over Florida and posted a goal against average of 0.33 and a goalie save percentage of .929 during the week.
In 2000, Elsby was medically redshirted, but in 1999, she started seven of 12 matches and went 5-3-0 with 4.5 shutouts. She recorded 745 minutes in goal and defended 108 shots with 40 saves and 15 goals against. Elsby had a GAA of 1.81 and a GS% of .727, making one BIG EAST start against Syracuse. She tied her career-best with 10 saves in the season-opening win at Florida State and had nine saves against Sryacuse.
In 1998, Elsby started all 19 games, recording 84 saves in 1,740 minutes of action. She had a .730 GS% and a 1.6 GAA and had a season-high 10 saves against Jacksonville and nine against Kansas.
Before coming to Miami, she played on Team Boca’s U-17 team, winners of the 1997 state championship. She won first place in the Junior Orange Bowl Tournament and also played for the St. Giles (South Carolina) Magic, 1995 State Champions. In high school, she was a three-year letterwinner. She also won two letters while a member of the Dorman High varsity team in Spartanburg, SC. While at Spanish River, she won two state championships and three district championships, finishing her career as the school’s all-time shutout leader. She recorded 22 shutouts during her senior year, 24 as a junior and 21 as a sophomore. As a senior team captain, she earned first team all-state recognition.
