Laura Furko Miller was the offensive backbone for the women’s soccer team from 1997-2001. She went on to earn All-AMCC honors in three out of the four years along with AMCC MVP and was named to the Great Lakes All-Region third team. Furko set the program record for most goals (34) and career points (85), which currently rank third all-time.
Furko began to set the standard for excellence the moment she put on a Lions’ uniform. She became the first Behrend women’s soccer player and freshman to earn AMCC Most Valuable Player in 1998. Furko was also an All-AMCC choice for scoring seven goals in her opening campaign, while helping the Lions capture the AMCC title and advance to the ECAC Tournament.
After leading Behrend to their third straight conference crown and another ECAC bid as a sophomore, Furko continued her ascent to stardom in 2000 by raising the bar again. She led the team with 14 goals, third most in single season, and was second in assists with six for 34 points. Behrend maintained dominance in the conference with another AMCC Championship en route to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The team set a new school record for most wins with 16 and Furko’s 34 points ranks third on the all-time list for most in a single season. Her season to remember was capped with another All-Conference nod and a spot on the NSCAA All-Region team.
As a senior captain, the midfielder tallied 11 goals and seven assists for 29 points to establish a new record for career goals with 34 and break the all-time points record with 85. Furko, an All-AMCC selection for a third time, was honored with the Female Scholar Athlete Award and the Herb Lauffer Leadership & Scholarship Award.
Furko remains in the top three in the record books for single-season points (34), career points (85) and career goals (34). She is fifth in career assists (17) and seventh in single-season assists (7).
Furko, who was recently inducted into the Plum High School Athletic Hall of Fame, is a tenured professor in sport management studies program at the California University of Pennsylvania. She and her husband, Scott, have a daughter Quinn and reside in Pittsburgh, Pa.