For the past three years, Anne Browning has played a dual role in Harvard athletics. The Adams House senior has served as the starting goalkeeper for the women's soccer team in the fall and rowed for the first boat of the Radcliffe heavyweight crew in the spring.

But not this year.

While training at the Pre-Elite Camp at the Olympic Center in San Diego this summer, Browning decided that to make it to the next level in crew, she would need to concentrate on and complete all the scheduled endurance workouts in the fall. That left no room for soccer.

"My decision was based on needing to specialize," Browning said. "It had nothing to do with disliking soccer. I love soccer, and the Harvard team is a great team. But not having the endurance base in crew affects my performance in the spring. Hopefully this commitment will act as a springboard towards having a great spring."

Browning, elected captain after two seasons of rowing in the NCAA-qualifying first boat, has a deep passion for crew, which she said stems from two sources: an incredible season on novice crew and the sport's inherent intensity.

During her freshman year, her strong work ethic led the novice crew to an undefeated season, capped off by titles at both the Eastern Sprints and the NCAA championships in 1997.

"That year was a life-changing experience," Browning said. "It taught me more about who I am as an athlete and a competitor."

But Browning did not get to pick up in her sophomore year where she left off at the end of freshman year, due to an unfortunate injury suffered in the NCAA soccer championships.

With 40 seconds remaining in regular time of Harvard's round-of-16 playoff game at Ohiri Field, a George Mason forward, who was playing a loose ball, kicked Browning in the face, resulting in a broken bone directly under Browning's eye.