Sept. 2, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - This week we caught up with Memphis senior goalkeeper Michael Goodlett. Goodlett will look to hold down the back of Memphis' defense for the second season in a row. Last year the netminder had a goals against average of 1.30 and racked up 76 saves. He finished the season with four shutouts, including a shutout of C-USA foe Kentucky which led to his selction as the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week. Goodlett ranks fourth all-time with a career goals against average of 1.41.

What are your thoughts coming out of preseason training and entering the regular season?

"I like the way we work. I like the way we are working as a team. I'm loving the way that the team vibe is between sessions and playing our preseason games. We look good and we are ready for this season."

What are some of your goals for the team this season?

"I would say just to get better and better each time we step out on the field, each time we step out on the training ground. Each game just realize who we are playing for. We are actually playing for ourselves, for eachother and for the fans, for Memphis. I would like to see us accomplish a lot this season. That is definitely winning."

What are some of your personal goals this season?

"Just be more demanding. Just be more solid in the back. Defense wins games. I'm a firm believer in that. Any team that has a great defense, they will be hard to beat."

How excited are you to open the season on Fox Soccer Channel against Bradley?

"I'm very excited. I'm ready for the Bradley game. I'm definitely looking forward to it. We are all looking forward to it. It is just another thing that brings even more excitement to the game. The more fans that you have at the field, it creates a very exciting environment. Just the knowledge being on TV, playing on national TV, if you don't get excited as a player, you have to. I feel like if players don't get excited to play on TV, they really don't bring any kind of emotion to the game."

"I think we have a lot of talented freshmen. I think they can definitely make a huge contribution through their work ethic and the talent that they have. I am looking forward to the freshmen making a statement and treating this team as if it is their team as well because it is their team."

What is something that fans wouldn't know about Michael Goodlett?

"They probably wouldn't know that I got the highest grade in my real estate class last semester."

So is real estate what you are looking to go into?

"Yea definitely. Real estate is something that I am looking forward to getting into. The market is looking like it is down right now but I am looking forward to it. Lets make a negative a positive."

Last year we did a feature story on you and we talked a little bit about your sister playing basketball at Georgia Tech. How have things been going for her and what kind of advice have you been giving her from an athletic standpoint?

(Sasha Goodlett is a sophomore center on the Georgia Tech women's basketball team. She started 29 of 32 games for Tech during the 2008-09 season. Goodlett averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds while helping the Yellow Jackets to the second round of the NCAA Tournament)

"Just really to stay grounded and to remain humble. I think this year she is supposed to be the face of the program. Last year she was one of the freshmen that made a huge contribution to the team and was a big part of the team's success. She is still developing and learning right now, but I think she definitely has the potential to be one of the great players to come through Georgia Tech Women's Basketball,"

How does that make you feel as a brother, especially if she is to become one of the greatest players to go through the Georgia Tech Women's Basketball program?

"Right now I am already proud of her because of everything she has achieved. I am excited for her. I remember when I was in her position a couple of years back. I remember when I was a freshman, I remember when I was a sophomore. The years have flown by. Whenever I talk to her I just try to share a few words of wisdom with her and just keep her encouraged. College student-athletes, there is a lot of stuff going on, a lot of distractions. I just try to be a great brother and friend to her. Just keep her encouraged and motivated to excel."