resources- CNN Women's Sports
"One of Mia's best qualities is her sense of team," says U.S. national coach Tony DiCicco. "So she's uncomfortable with the label Best Woman Soccer Player in the World. But when she's on her game, I would agree with that label."
Mia Hamm is a shy and soft spoken person who has a huge impact over young soccer players all over the world. Recognition of her skill has come by winning the female athlete award 5 times in a row (94, 95, 96, 97, and 98). This is something no other female athlete has done before.
Mia grew up as what they call a "military brat", Mia specifically was
an Air Force brat. Her childhood was spent on different bases throughout
the world including California, Texas, Virginia and Italy along with her
five siblings and parents, COL. Bill and Stephanie Hamm. Her father fell
in love with soccer while in Italy and urged Mia to play, but she played
whatever was in season. "You moved to a new base and had new friends as
soon as you joined a team," she says. Eventually Mia "adapted" to soccer
as it was her older brother Garretts favorite pastime, and he played very
well.
At age 14 Mia dominated girls school soccer in Texas and this attracted
attention. A coach in Waco named John Cossaboon called a friend of his,
Anson Dorrance and said he had to come see this girl. Dorrance who had
coached the University of North Carolina women since 1979 and was the U.S.
national team coach from 1985 to '94, was familiar with calls like the
one from John Cossaboon and was skeptical, but he went to Texas any ways.
Mia joined the American national team at 15, becoming its youngest member
ever. She followed Dorrance to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where during
her years at UNC, she led the Tar Heels in four national championships,
while earning all America honors three years and finishing as the ACC's
all-time leading scorer. Then the pair also went to China, where the U.S.
won the inaugural women's World Cup in 1991.
Now Mia moves around with her 4 year husband, Christian Corey. He is
in the Marine Corps. Mia is currenly preparing for the next World Cup,
which the U.S. will host in 1999. On the first anniversary of its gold
medal victory over China.
Stats and other information
(from: Mia Zone)
Name: Mariel Margret Hamm (Mia is her more popular nick name)
Birthday: March 17, 1972
Birthplace: Selma, Alabama
Age: 26
Height: 5'4" (or as she says)
Weight:125
Family:
Mom, Stephanie
Dad, COL. Bill Hamm
Brother, Garrett
(4 other siblings)
Husband, Christian Corey
Their anniversary: December 17, 1994 (4th year)
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Favorites:
Sports: Soccer (of course), Basketball, and Golf
Athletes: Wayne Gretzky, Jackie Joyner Kersee
Color: green
Food: Italian
TV Show: Seinfeld
Number: 5
Her Superstition: She must tie her right shoe then her left shoe before
games
Ambition: to be happy
Education:
College: University of North Carolina
Degree: Political Science
High School: Lake Braddock Secondary School and Notre Dame high
School
Honors and Awards
Goodwill Games 98 Gold Medal
All-time leading scorer in NCAA women's soccer history with 103
goals and 72 assists for a combined total of 278 points over 91
games.
Three-time first-team All-American
Three-time ACC Player-of-the-Year (1990, 1992 & 1993)
Three-time National Player-of-the-Year (unanimously in 1992 &
1993)
1994 recipient of the Honda Broderick Cup, given to the most
Outstanding Female Athlete in all of college sports
NCAA Tournament MVP Offense (1992 & 1993)
ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player (1989 & 1993)
Led the nation in scoring in 1990, 1992 and 1993
Scored more goals than any other player in Division 1 history
Scored a goal once in every 4.1 shots during her college career with
an average of 1.12 goals per game
All-time leader in career assists with 72
Registered 11 career three-goal games
Set NCAA record for single-season assists with 33 in 1992
Set NCAA record for single-season scoring with 97 points in 1992
Coach Anson Dorrance said of her season in 1992, "The greatest
season ever by a collegiate soccer player."
Holds NCAA Tournament career records for scoring (41 points),
goals (16) and assists (9)
Holds NCAA Tournament records for single-season scoring for
points (16 in 1993), goals (6 in 1993) and assists (tied the record
with 4 in 1993)
Won both the Missouri Athletic Club and the Hermann trophies
twice as top collegiate female player (1992 & 1993)
Inducted in 1993 into the Order of the Golden Fleece, the highest
honorary society at UNC
Member of the US Senior Women's National Team since 1987
At age 19, she was the youngest member and starter for Team
USA when it won the first-ever FIFA World Championship played
in China in 1991
Youngest woman ever to play for the US National Team at age 15
on December 12, 1987
In 94 international matches, she has tallied 54 goals, the second
highest number of goals and games in US history
Was the MVP of the 1994 Chiquita Cup and the 1995 US Cup
Led The US National Team in scoring in 1995 with 19 goals and 18
assists in 21 games
People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People In The World (1997)
Equity Online's "Woman of the Week"
U.S. Soccer Federation 1995 Female Athlete of the Year
