Former UNC women’s soccer and U.S. National Team star Mia Hamm was among nine women selected Monday to be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

Hamm is widely considered to be the best female soccer player of all-time, having scored 158 goals for the U.S. National Team from 1987-2004. During that time, she led the country to World Cup titles in 1991 and 1999 and Olympic gold medals in 1996 and 2004.

While at UNC from 1989-1993, Hamm led the Tar Heels to four consecutive NCAA championships and scored 103 goals across 95 appearances.

Inductees for the National Women’s Hall of Fame were nominated by the public, judged by an interdisciplinary team of experts across the nominees’ fields, and selected for their invaluable contributions to American society in the areas of the arts, athletics, business, education, government, humanities, philanthropy, and science.

The other eight inductees alongside Hamm in the Class of 2021 include: Michelle Obama (former First Lady), Octavia Butler (author), Judy Chicago (artist), Rebecca Halstead (retired Brigadier General, motivational speaker), Joy Harjo (poet), Emily Howland (activist and educator), Katherine Johnson (NASA mathematician) and Indra Nooyi (business executive).

The National Women’s Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 and is the nation’s oldest non-profit organization and museum dedicated to honoring and celebrating the achievements of distinguished American women.

This year’s class will officially be inducted at a ceremony on Oct. 2, 2021.

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.