National Team: Started 15 matches in 1998 and scored five goals with three assists in her return to the national team after taking most of 1997 off ... Helped USA to first-ever Goodwill Games gold medal in Summer of '98, scoring in semifinal victory over Denmark ... Received FIFA's highest honor, the FIFA Order of Merit, on June 7, 1998, at the XVth FIFA Congress in Paris, just prior to the start of the 1998 World Cup, for her positive contributions to the game ... One of only two women named to a special FIFA Commission by President Sepp Blatter to help shape initiatives for the future of soccer ... Also on the commission are Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Sir Bobby Charlton and Michel Platini ... Member of the Gold Medal winning U.S. Women's National Team at the 1996 Olympic Games ... The U.S. Women's National Team's second all-time leading scorer with 98 goals in 126 international matches through the end of 1998 ... Early this year, she became only the 4th player in international soccer history to score 100 goals ... Took a break from the national team after the Olympic Final on August 1, 1996, to recover from knee surgery and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and did not play a full international for the USA until Oct. 30, 1997, against Sweden ... After taking a year off, she made her comeback in an exhibition against the Rochester Ravens and then at U.S. Soccer Festival '97 in August, scoring twice in a 2-0 victory over the East ... Started all five matches in the Olympics, scoring a crucial tying goal on a penalty kick in the USA's 2-1 semifinal victory over Norway ... Most valuable player at U.S. Women's Cup '96 after scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 defeat of China ... Was injured in the opening game of the 1995 FIFA world championship in Sweden and did not play again until semifinal loss to Norway ... MVP of the 1994 CONCACAF Qualifying Championship in Montreal where she was tied with Mia Hamm as the tournament's second-leading goal scorer with six and helped the USA qualify for the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup in Sweden ... Leading goal scorer in the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991 in China with 10 goals, including five in one game, to win the Golden Boot Award while leading the USA to U.S. Soccer's first-ever world championship ... She also received the Silver Ball Award given to the world championship's second-best player ... U.S. Soccer's Female Athlete of the Year in 1990 and '91 ... Scored 15 goals in 24 games for the USA from 1985-90 before exploding for 39 goals in 26 games in 1991, a U.S. team record ... A 14-year veteran of the U.S. National Team, she has been there from the inception of the program, playing in the USA's second-ever full international, a game in which she scored the first goal in the history of the U.S. Women's National Team on August 21, 1985, in a 2-2 draw with Denmark in Jesolo, Italy.
College/High School: Four-time All-American from the University of Central Florida in Orlando where she won the first Hermann Trophy ... Central Florida's Athlete of the Year in 1988-89, and offensive MVP in the 1987 NCAA Final Four ... Had her #10 jersey retired by UCF ... The all-time leading scorer in UCF history and a member of the school's Hall of Fame ... Three-time All-American at Shorecrest High School in Seattle.
Club: Competed three seasons in Sweden with Tyreso Football Club, 1990, '92 and '94 ... In 1992, she scored 43 goals and was the leading goal scorer (male or female) from any of Sweden's professional divisions.
Personal: Full name Michelle Anne Akers ... Author of several books, including Standing Fast, which chronicles her battle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and her overcoming of incredible obstacles to win a gold medal ... Founder of Soccer Outreach International, an organization that helps to create movements and resources for individuals, agencies and churches to teach people around the world how to integrate faith and sport into their daily lives ... Has own web page at www.michelleakers.com ... There is a soccer scholarship in her name endowed at Central Florida ... Owns an Arabian horse named Vinnie ... Graduated from Central Florida with a degree in Liberal Studies and Health ... The first female American soccer player to sign a shoe endorsement deal back in 1991.
First Appearance: Aug. 21, 1985, vs. Denmark First Goal: Aug. 21, 1985, vs. Denmark
