(Editor’s Note: The following is part of a series of articles that will appear in the Clemson Vault this summer commemorating the 2015 Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees. The induction ceremony will be held the weekend of the Georgia Tech football game on October 9-10. The 2015 Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame Class was announced on April 28. For more information about the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame and the induction ceremony contact Bob Mahony at (864) 656-2974.
by Sam Blackman || Clemson Athletic Communications
For former Tiger soccer star Nancy Augustyniak, going into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame this fall will be a honor not only for her, but also for her twin sister who she considers her best friend.
Nancy had the special privilege of playing with her twin sister, Julie Augustyniak, at Clemson and also in the pro ranks. Both of them played on Clemson’s teams in 1997-2000.
Why Clemson?
Nancy says that she and her sister selected Clemson because of the coaches, facilities and the academic reputation.
“When we first came to Clemson, we fell in love with the school! Our family could come see us play, and the coaches were interested in both of us playing for Clemson. We knew it was the right place for us, and we’re both glad we chose to play at Clemson.”
Memorable Match
The 2-1 victory over number-one ranked North Carolina on September 13, 2000 was a very memorable game according to Augustyntiak. In this game she scored Clemson’s first goal on a penalty kick. She also assisted Dee Arrington on the game-winner later in the game. This win over North Carolina would be the cornerstone of Clemson’s 2000 ACC regular season championship.
“This was my last chance of beating North Carolina in the regular season in my career, said Augustyniak after the win over North Carolina. “We thought we could, and we did it. I knew I had to make the penalty kick.
“I wasn’t really nervous, but I knew how important it was—that if I got it, we were back in the game. I was thinking I’ve done this a million times. I can make this one. I think finally breaking though and scoring a goal against them, really motivated us. It was like we fed off that and lifted our game even further. North Carolina is a great team, but we just played our hearts out,” said Augustyniak in an interview after the match.
Valuable Teammate
“It was a wonderful experience playing for Clemson and having my sister on the team. She is my best friend and we are very close. Having her as a teammate made it so much fun. She was there during the tough practices and the hard times. She was also there during the happy times, too.”
A native of Peachtree, Ga., Augustyniak capped her career by helping Clemson post a 19-3-1 record in 2000 while advancing to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament. As a senior, Augustyniak helped Clemson claim the regular season ACC crown and was selected both All-American and All-Southeast Region.
Augustyniak was also selected to two All-ACC teams, earning first team honors in both 1999 and 2000, while also being selected to the 1998 and 1999 All-ACC Tournament teams.
One of the premier players in Clemson history, she was selected one of the Top 50 players in ACC history on August 14, 2002, joining her twin sister Julie on the elite list.
Augustyniak also spent time with the United States National Team in 2000 and 2001.
Pro Career
After Clemson the two sisters played for the Atlanta Beat of the WUSA and played overseas.
“It was quite an adjustment. It was tough playing professionally, as this was your job. If you were not on your “A” game, there were others to take your spot.
The Augustyniak sisters played for the Beat for three seasons, (2001, 2002 and 2003). While with the Beat, Nancy helped her squad reach the finals of the league’s tournament where they finished as the runners-up both times.
After three seasons in Atlanta, Augustyniak took her skills over seas and competed in the highest division of soccer in Germany, the Frauen-Bundesliga, as she competed for FFC Turbine Potsdam and WfL Wolfsburg in 2004.
She also competed for Stattena IF of Sweden for one half season as well in 2004. Augustyniak played in the Women’s Premier Soccer League in America and helped FC Indiana secure the 2005 championship.
She also played for Fort Collins Force in 2007 and the Boston Breakers in 2009.
What Augustyniak is Doing Today
Augustyniak is married to Josh Goffi, a former tennis player at Clemson in 1998-2001. Goffi was named first-team All-ACC in 1999, 2000, and 2001. He was ranked as high as number-nine in singles and number-three in doubles in the ITA rankings.
Josh is currently the head men’s tennis coach at the University of South Carolina, and has been there since 2010.
“He is a hard working coach, and is the type of person that makes the right decisions. I’m very proud of him.”
Currently the Goffis live in Columbia. Nancy is the director of operations for the University of South Carolina women’s soccer team. The couple has two children, Eliana and Clara.
“When I go into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame this coming fall, it will bring back a lot of memories. A lot of people are going into the Hall of Fame with me like my Clemson Coaches, Ray and Tracey Leone, my teammates, and family who have made all of this possible. Most of all, to my sister, Nancy, I owe all of this honor to her.”
April 16, 2024
