Michelle Akers

Michelle Akers grew up in Shoreline and became one of the greatest players in the history of women’s soccer. Akers was a four-time All-American at the University of Central Florida. As a striker, she led the U.S. Women’s National Team to victory at the inaugural 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a tourney-high 10 goals – a mark that still stands today across all FIFA World Cups and earned her the FIFA Golden Boot and Silver Ball. In 1996, after reinventing herself as a dominant central midfielder, she led the U.S to Olympic gold, as well as the 1998 Goodwill Games and 1999 World Cup. She did all this while playing through a dislocated shoulder and torn MCL. She was given FIFA’s highest honor, the Order of Merit in 1998, and was voted FIFA Female Athlete of the Century in 2002. Two years later she was one of only two women named among the 125 greatest living players in the world.