When senior defender Keeley Dowling knocked in the first goal of The University of Tennessee’s soccer season in a 3-1 exhibition loss at No. 5 Florida State on Saturday, nobody should have been surprised.
After all, Dowling has been leading the charge for UT since she came to Knoxville in the fall of 2001.
“She has left a lasting impression on our program,” Lady Vol coach Angela Kelly said, “and is among the top defenders in the country.”
Dowling has become Tennessee’s most decorated soccer athlete. After last season, she was named SEC Defender of the Year, a consensus first-team All-American and a semifinalist for the prestigious Hermann Trophy, given annually to the nation’s best female collegiate soccer player.
Having recruited Dowling in 2001 as a midfielder, UT head coach Angela Kelly was well aware of Dowling’s prowess on the field. Over the years, though, even Kelly has been awed at the magnitude of Dowling’s success.
“I think that Keeley’s accomplishments speak for themselves,” she said.
Kelly, an All-American herself during her college years at North Carolina, said she knows Dowling still hasn’t reached her full potential.
“Keeley has unbelievable athleticism and will be a go-to player for us again,” Kelly said. “There are still more levels to her game, and I will continue to push her to work hard every day.”
After spending her first season as a Lady Vol at midfielder, Dowling switched to the defender role in her sophomore season and has maintained it ever since. She said pushing herself to continually change and improve is something that comes innately to her, both on and off the field.
“I wake up every morning thankful that I get to have another day,” Dowling said. “And I try to be better that day than I was the day before.”
An internal drive towards improvement pushes Dowling in her off-the-field goals. After completing her undergraduate education at UT this year, Dowling is uncertain what path she’d like to follow.
But she said she is certain it will be helping people improve themselves in some aspect.
“I would like to train athletes to develop themselves and maximize their performance,” Dowling said. “Eventually, I may get into coaching.
“Several years down the road, I would like to own my own fitness facility.”
Her own improvement has been aided by international play. Dowling spent time this summer with the Under-21 U.S. National team, which won the 2004 Nordic Cup held in Iceland in July.
If the opportunity to compete on the national team presented itself, Dowling said she would be thrilled.
“It is always such an honor to represent your country,” she said. “Playing internationally has given me the opportunity to travel and see the world while playing the game I love most.
“My ultimate goal is to play on the Olympic team.”
Since youth international play is considered a springboard onto the national team, Dowling may well have that chance. In the meantime, her day-to-day routine is set – altering ever so slightly to meet changing needs and working every day to improve.
“As I have gone through my soccer career, I have learned to surround myself with people who have the same goals and desires as I do,” said Dowling, who will lead the Lady Vols into their season opener against Duke at 7 p.m. Friday in Knoxville.
“I want to be the best person I can be.”
