University of North Carolina Athletics
All-America Shannon Higgins
September 24, 2002 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 24, 2002
*Named National Player of the Year by Soccer America magazine in 1988.
*In 1989, she was tapped as the National Player of the Year by Soccer America and the Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America. She also won the Honda Award that year.
*Played for the U.S. Senior Women's National Team from 1987-91. Had a total of 51 caps with the National Team and scored four goals. Was a member of U.S. Team which won the 1991 Women's World Cup in China.
*Was named head coach for the women's soccer team at the University of Maryland in 1999. Record at Maryland is 29-28-3. The Terrapins went 10-7-2 in 2001, and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
*Formerly served as the head women's soccer coach at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she posted a 69-59-11 record.
*Is married to Sasho Cirovski, head men's soccer coach at the University of Maryland.
*As a collegian she scored the game-winning goal in the 1987, 1988 and 1989 NCAA championship games, a remarkable feat.
*Was named a first-team All-America midfielder by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in both 1988 and 1989.
*Was named first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in the midfield in 1987, 1988 and 1989.
*Was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 1989.
*Won the Patterson Medal in 1990 as the outstanding senior student-athlete at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
*Captured the first-ever Mary Garber Award in 1990 given by the Atlantic Coast Sportswriters Association to the female athlete of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
*Named to the All-Tournament Team at the NCAA Championships in 1987, 1988 and 1989.
*Was the Offensive Most Valuable Player of the 1988 NCAA Championships after she scored three goals in Carolina's 4-1 victory over N.C. State in the championship game.
*Played on four NCAA championship teams for Carolina in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.
*Also played on Tar Heel teams which captured ACC championships in 1987 and 1989.
*Is one of 11 women's soccer players in Carolina history to have her jersey number (#3) retired by the University.
*Ranks 12th in career scoring at Carolina with 129 points.
*Ranks 16th in goals scored in UNC history with 39.
*Is tied for fifth in Carolina history with 51 assists.
*She led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring with 43 points in 1988.
*She also led the ACC in assists three consecutive seasons with 10 in 1987, 17 in 1988 and 18 in 1989.
*Ranks seventh in Atlantic Coast Conference history in assists with 45.
