Shannon Higgins (1990) - Patterson Medal Winners - University of North Carolina Athletics

Shannon Higgins

Induction:
1990
Class:
1990

1990— Shannon Higgins: Women's Soccer (Kent, Wash.)
Higgins led Carolina to four NCAA championships (1986-89) and won National Player of the Year honors in 1988 and 1989. She scored the game-winning goal in the 1987 national championship game vs. UMass, the 1988 national title game vs. NC State and the 1989 NCAA finals vs. Colorado College. She is the only player in collegiate women’s soccer history to accomplish that.

Higgins was a First-team All-America midfielder in 1988 and 1989, a three-time All-ACC selection and the 1989 ACC Women’s Soccer and Female Athlete of the Year. After the 1989-90 season, Higgins received the Honda Sports Award as the nation’s top soccer player. She was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team three times, earning Offensive MVP honors in 1988 when she netted three goals in the championship game win over NC State. She led the ACC in assists each season from 1987-89 and led the league in scoring in 1988 with 43 points.

Higgins played for the U.S. Women’s National Team from 1987-91 and earned a total of 51 caps. She was a member of the United States Team which won the first-ever Women’s World Cup in 1991 in China, assisting both goals in the U.S.’ victory over Norway in the final.

Higgins was the head coach at George Washington and Maryland and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002.