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Michelle Akers was the most dominant player on the United States Women's National soccer team (WNT) from 1985 until her retirement in 2000, and is widely regarded as the greatest female soccer player of all time. She is an Olympic Gold Medalist, a two-time World Cup Champion, and was named FIFA Women's Player of the Century. Akers played soccer at Shorecrest High School near Seattle, Washington, and was a 3-time high school All-American. She attended the University of Central Florida, and remains their all-time leading scorer. Michelle was a four-time NCAA All-American and Central Florida's Athlete of the Year in 1988-1989 , as well as being the first woman ever to win the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the nation's top soccer player. Her jersey, #10, was later retired at the university. After graduation, Michelle became the first American woman to play professional soccer, playing three seasons with Sweden's Tyresco Club before returning to the United States. Michelle overcame numerous injuries and battled chronic fatigue syndrome throughout her international career, but passion for the game and dedication to her team helped her power through those obstacles to become the world's greatest female player and an invaluable advocate for the game in its formative years. Akers first gained worldwide attention at the 1991 FIFA World Championships for Women's Football (later renamed the FIFA Women's World Cup) where she scored 10 goals in 6 matches as the WNT went on to win the inaugural title. She scored 5 goals in a single game against Taiwan in the quarterfinals. In Atlanta in 1996, Michelle and her teammates were champions yet again, bringing home the gold medal in the first-ever women's soccer competition in the Olympic Games. After winning another gold medal in the 1998 Goodwill Games, she received FIFA's highest honor, the Order of Merit, for her contributions to the game of soccer. In 1999, anchoring the midfield in a more defensive-minded role, Akers was the unquestioned leader of the WNT in the Women's World Cup and guided the United States to their second FIFA world title in three tries. Michelle retired from professional soccer following the 1999 World Cup, but was a founding player of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). She remains the WNT's third all-time leading scorer with 105 goals, 27 assists, and 247 points in 153 caps. Akers was voted FIFA's Women's Player of the Century in 2002 and was inducted into the US National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2004. She was one of only two women named to the FIFA 100, a list of the greatest living soccer players (selected by Pele and commissioned by FIFA for the organization's 100th anniversary). Since her retirement, Akers has continued to promote the game of soccer, and has written several books, including one that documents her battle with chronic fatigue syndrome and migraines. She currently lives with her husband and son just outside of Atlanta, GA, where she dedicates her life to rescuing horses. Michelle runs her own horse rescue farm, Michelle Akers Horse Rescue and Outreach, Inc., where she takes in abused horses from the region and nurses them back to health. AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS 1988: Hermann Trophy winner 1996: Olympic Gold Medalist 2000: NSCAA Honorary All-American |
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