University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Past and Present Dominate Roster for U.S.
June 21, 1999 | Women's Soccer
May 18, 1999
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Eight current or former members of the University of North Carolina women's soccer team were named Monday afternoon to the 20-player United States Women's National Team announced by Head Coach Tony DiCicco that will play in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. The announcement was made at NIKETOWN in Chicago, Ill.
DiCicco was not required to name his roster until June 9, when all 16 Women's World Cup Teams must submit their official squads to FIFA, but he will now have a month to prepare his complete Women's World Cup team. The USA opens play on June 19 against Denmark at Giants Stadium (Kickoff is 3 p.m. ET -- LIVE on ABC).
The Tar Heels on the roster also include four projected starters for the U.S. Team. The potential starters are Cindy Parlow at center forward, Mia Hamm at right wing, Kristine Lilly at left midfielder and Carla Overbeck as one of the team's four defenders. Other UNC players on the final roster are defender Lorrie Fair, midfielder Tiffany Roberts, midfielder Tisha Venturini and goalkeeper Tracy Ducar. All are graduates of UNC with the exception of Fair, who is a rising senior and will return to the Carolina squad in the fall of 1999.
The U.S. World Cup Team will feature six players that were a part of the team that won the first-ever Women's World Cup in China in 1991. All six also played on the 1995 Women's World Cup Team that finished third in Sweden. Six players will be playing in their second Women's World Cup, including Brandi Chastain, who played in '91 but was not on the roster in '95, while eight players are on the Women's World Cup roster for the first time. The U.S.team also features 13 of the 16 members of the 1996 Olympic Team that won the gold medal.
"The naming of this team was a three-year process," said DiCicco. "These players were tested and challenged and proved themselves in a process that started the day after the Olympics. For the players that will be playing in their third World Cup, making this team is a testament to their dedication to their sport and their commitment to evolve as players, as well as their relationships on and off the field. For the younger players that are making the World Cup team for the first time, they forced these veterans to reach new heights and helped make us the best possible team we can be. I'm proud of each of every one of them and my thoughts go out to the players that were on the short side of our decisions. I know some of those players will be key to our future."
The U.S. World Cup Team features eight players who have played 115 or more international matches, but has an average age of 24.5 years. The U.S. team averages 87 caps per player.
Coursey of U.S. Soccer Soccer Federation women's publicist Aaron Heifitz, following is a complete roster of the U.S. World Cup Team as well as brief biographical updates on the eight Tar Heels who are members of the team.
United States 1999 Women's World Cup Team
***Third World Cup Team
**Second World Cup Team
*First World Cup Team
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. DOB Hometown College Caps/Goals
1 Scurry, Briana** G 5-8 145 9/7/71 Dayton, Minn. Umass 88
2 Fair, Lorrie* D 5-3 125 8/5/78 Los Altos, Ca. UNC 46/1
3 Pearce, Christie* D 5-6 140 6/24/75 Pt. Pleasant, N.J. Monmouth 48/2
4 Overbeck, Carla*** D 5-7 125 5/9/68 Chapel Hill,N.C. UNC 142/7
5 Roberts, Tiffany** M 5-4 120 5/05/77 San Ramon, Ca. UNC 71/6
6 Chastain, Brandi** D 5-7 130 7/21/68 San Jose, Ca. Santa Clara 92/20
7 Whalen, Sara* D 5-5 130 4/28/76 Greenlawn,N.Y. Uconn 32/2
8 MacMillan, Shannon* F 5-5 130 10/7/74 Escondido, Ca. Portland 76/19
9 Hamm, Mia*** F 5-5 130 3/17/72 Chapel Hill, N.C. UNC 171/107
10 Akers, Michelle*** M 5-10 150 2/1/66 Oviedo, Fla. UCF 139/102
11 Foudy, Julie*** M 5-6 130 1/23/71 Mission Viejo, Ca. Stanford 152/30
12 Parlow, Cindy* F 5-11 145 5/08/78 Memphis, Tenn. UNC 53/20
13 Lilly, Kristine*** M 5-4 130 7/22/71 Wilton, Conn. UNC 177/71
14 Fawcett, Joy*** D 5-5 130 2/8/68 Hunt. Beach, Ca. UCB 139/18
15 Venturini, Tisha** M 5-6 125 3/3/73 Modesto, Ca. UNC 121/41
16 Milbrett, Tiffeny** F 5-2 125 10/23/72 Portland,Ore. Portland 115/56
17 Fotopoulos, Danielle*F 5-11 165 3/24/76 Alt. Springs, Fla. Florida 21/7
18 Webber, Saskia** G 5-9 145 6/13/71 Princeton, N.J. Rutgers 25
19 Ducar, Tracy* G 5-7 135 6/18/73 N. Andover,Mass. UNC 23
20 Sobrero, Kate* D 5-9 140 8/23/76 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. ND 23/0
#2 -- LORRIE FAIR (Defender): The youngest player on the World Cup Team, and the only player that still has college eligibility remaining, she will play her senior season at UNC next fall. One of the most skillful players on the team and great in the air for her size, Fair is battling with several others for playing time on the USA's back line in both the central defense or outside fullback, but can also step into midfield. A veteran of the national team program at only 20 years old, she is no doubt a star for the future, and maybe the present.
#4 -- CARLA OVERBECK (Defender): The USA's captain is as tough as they come and will wear the band in her third consecutive world championship and her last Women's World Cup. A tremendous header of the ball, the USA's field leader is as comfortable playing with three or four defenders in the back and experience will be key in the USA's run through the Women's World Cup. While rare to see, she is effective when attacking and is a key component on set plays, both on offense and defense.
#5 -- TIFFANY ROBERTS (Midfielder): The diminutive midfielder was a starter at right midfield at the 1995 Women's World Cup but now comes off the bench. DiCicco values her world class tenaciousness and work rate, as well as her ability to nullify most any opponent one-on-one. With great strength and speed for her size, she is a relentless chaser and nasty tackler. At age 22, she has compiled 71 caps since coming onto the team in 1994 just before her 17th birthday.
#9 -- MIA HAMM (Forward): The world's leading scorer has been heavily marked this year, but still has punched in six goals and a team-leading nine assists. At the peak of her game, she will be counted to score and create this summer. Hamm scored two goals in both the 1991 and '95 Women's World Cup and may be the most recognized female soccer player in the world.
#12 -- CINDY PARLOW (Forward): The 5-foot-11 striker may be a key to the USA's success in the Women's World Cup. She is adept at holding the ball on the forward line, battles for all air balls and is deadly in the penalty box. With Hamm and Milbrett's slashing runs in the offensive third, Parlow's ability to combine with them, as well as run at the goal herself, gives the USA a devastating combination of speed and power on the forward line. Hampered by a hamstring injury since the end of her college season, with a healthy leg, she may become one of the stars of USA '99.
#13 -- KRISTINE LILLY (Midfielder/Forward): The world's all-time leader in international appearances with 177, she continues to put the record into the stratosphere. The USA's left-footed, left-sided midfielder/forward, has established herself as one of the top players in the world with consistently stellar and dynamic play and leads the team in goal scoring this year with 10. Her 71 goals for the national team are good for third all-time. Lilly has started an amazing 172 of the 177 games she has played for the USA, missing only nine matches during that span, and has played the full 90 minutes in an astounding 144 of those games. She has played in 88% of the matches ever played by the national team.
#15 -- TISHA VENTURINI (Midfielder): Scorer of the USA's first goals in the both the 1995 Women's World Cup and the 1996 Olympics, Venturini has come off the bench for most of 1999 but adds invaluable depth and experience at the attacking midfielder position. She has five goals in two world championships and has scored three in her last four games. A tremendously skillful player, she is one of the best headers in the world on both offense and defense.
#19 -- TRACY DUCAR (Goalkeeper): Possesses the best kicking game of the goalkeepers and has seen action against some of the top teams in the world including Germany and Brazil. Has a great work ethic and has overcome the injury problems that kept her out of the mix for the Olympics to earn a spot as a back-up on the Women's World Cup Team.
