University of North Carolina Athletics
Cindy Parlow Named Player Of The Year
June 21, 1999 | Women's Soccer
December 8, 1998
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.: Cindy Parlow of the University of North Carolina became the second two-time winner of the Missouri Athletic Club Sports Foundation Collegiate Women's Soccer Player of the Year award, it was announced Tuesday.
Parlow, a native of Memphis, Tenn., joins former Tar Heel and current U.S. national team star Mia Hamm as the only women to win the prestigious crystal ball twice since the award's inception in 1991. Parlow, who won last year as a junior, edged out Florida star Danielle Fotopoulos in voting by collegiate coaches around the country.
North Carolina senior midfielder Tiffany Roberts (San Ramon, Calif.) finished third in the voting and Tar Heel junior defender Lorrie Fair (Los Altos, Calif.) finished 10th.
"Obviously we are incredibly proud of Cindy's career here. The M.A.C. is considered the best player of the year award and obviously I am prejudiced but there is no question in my mind that Cindy deserves this tremendous honor," says North Carolina head coach Anson Dorrance. "She has been the key player on a team that plays with great pressure all four of her years at UNC. I respect the coaches who have recognized this and voted for her."
Fotopoulos actually received two more first-place votes than Parlow, 79 to 77, but Parlow received more total points, 375 to 352. Three points were awarded for a first-place vote, two points for second and one point for third.
"I am thrilled to win this award for the second consecutive year," says Parlow. "I am particularly thrilled to win it because I think it honors my teammates as well as me. At North Carolina, we are first and foremost a team and although individual honors are tremendous, I really feel this award not only honors me but also my teammates, Anson, the other coaches and everyone behind the scenes who works so hard to make the North Carolina the best college program in the country."
Parlow, despite playing for much of the last two months with a hamstring injury, led the Tar Heels with 21 goals and she scored 53 points in earning recognition as the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and leading the Tar Heels into the NCAA championship game. For her career, Parlow scored 68 goals in 103 games and added 53 assists.
Parlow will be honored January 8, 1999 at a dinner at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. Kristine Lilly, the winner of the first M.A.C. women's award in 1991 and a veteran of the U.S. national team, will be the program's featured speaker.
The M.A.C. Sports Foundation awards are presented to the top American-born or naturalized player. Tickets for this year's dinner are available for $49 and reservations can be made by calling 314-539-4470.
The final vote totals for the top 10 finishers in the women's category (first place votes in parentheses):
1. Cindy Parlow, University of North Carolina, 375 (77);
2. Danielle Fotopoulos, University of Florida, 352 (79);
3. Tiffany Roberts, University of North Carolina, 101 (9);
4. Emily Stauffer, Harvard University, 80 (11);
5. Mandy Clemens, Santa Clara University, 71 (17);
6. Sara Burkett, Clemson University, 54 (5);
7. Jen Grubb, University of Notre Dame, 51 (2);
8. Jennifer Tietjen, University of Connecticut, 46 (3);
9. Michelle French, University of Portland, 43 (4);
10. Lorrie Fair, University of North Carolina, 36 (3).
