April 12, 2004

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Former South Carolina standout goalkeeper Henry Ring is off to a brilliant start to 2004 for Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire, having recorded shutouts in the season’s first two matches.

In the 2004 season-opener against Kansas City on April 3, Ring recorded four saves to earn his first career MLS shutout. Included in the performance was a diving stop of a shot by current Wizard and former South Carolina standout Josh Wolff in the 38th minute to preserve the 0-0 tie.

During the Fire’s last outing on April 10, Ring made one save in a 0-0 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes. The game was a re-match of the 2003 MLS Cup.

Ring, who earned All-America honors in both 1998 and 2000 for the Gamecocks, joined the Fire in 2001 after being drafted with the 33rd overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft. He appeared in one match during both the 2002 and 2003 seasons and has taken over the starting spot in net for the Fire in 2004.

A four-year letterwinner for the Gamecocks, Ring still ranks as South Carolina’s career leader in goalkeeper minutes played with 6,569, and is fourth in career goals against average at 1.02. His 25.5 career shutouts rank second on USC’s all-time list.

For more information on Henry Ring and the Chicago Fire, visit the Fire’s official website at www.chicago-fire.com.