Mandy Moraca

Position:
Defend/Forward
Height:
5-4
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Mantua, N.J.
High School:
Gloucester Catholic

General - Three-year returning letter winner who can play anywhere on the field for Carolina and has done so in her first three years at Carolina...is likely to see significant action this year as a defender...she is extremely fast and is an incredibly hard worker...named an adidas Youth All-America and adidas high school All-America in 2004.

National Team Experience -- Was a member of national youth team player pools in 2001-02 and a member of full youth national teams from 2002-04...progressed from U15 and U16 National Teams to a spot on U17 team in 2003 and 2004...attended five national camps.

Club Soccer - Played for the Pennsylvania Strikers and South Jersey Banshee club teams as a midfielder and forward...played for the Region I ODP team from 2002-04 and the N.J. state ODP squads from 2000-04...three-time adidas All-America...played on teams which won a pair of tournament championships in 2003...with the PA Strikers, she was on teams which won three Eastern Pennsylvania titles, reached two regional finals, a regional semifinal and won three major tournaments from 2002-04...was captain of the South Jersey Banshees...played on club teams there which reached N.J. state finals in 2001 and also won WAGS championship.

Junior season (2007) - Competed with a fury off the bench playing in all 24 games... picked up her first goal of her junior campaign against UNC Greensboro and picked up a huge assist against Texas A&M for a top-5 clash victory for the Tar Heels...her assist came on Sterling Smith's game-winning goal... played primarily up front...used her speed to create multiple rebound opportunities for the Tar Heels.

Sophomore Season (2006) -- Saw action off the bench both on the forward line and as a defender...played in 21 games...started the game at SMU where she assisted on the final goal of the game, her only point of the season.

Freshman Season (2005) -- Played in each of the team's first 24 games as one of the first two forwards off the bench...scored her first collegiate goal with a chip shot over first team All-ACC goaltender Nikki Resnick October 1 against Maryland...notched her first career point with an assist against San Diego on a goal by Brynn Hardman...logged a season-best 48 minutes in the September 4 contest against Yale...also played 47 minutes in the first round of the ACC tournament against Maryland.

Prep - A May 26, 2005 graduate of Gloucester Catholic High School...was the soccer team captain in 2004...was accorded All-State, All-South Jersey, All-Parochial School and All-Tri County honors three times...won high school coaches' most courageous award designations... member of the All-Area first team in 2001-02 and 2004...honor roll student...was named the South Jersey Coaches Association Offensive Player of the Year and Gloucester County Times Soccer Player of the Year in 2004...was named to the 2004 Associated Press and Newark Star-Ledger first-team All-State squads...Courier Post and Clay nominees as player of the year in 2001, 2002 and 2004.

Personal - Given name is Mandy Lynne Moraca...daughter of Mark and Donna Moraca...has one brother, Mark, age 23...born July 31, 1987 in Woodbury, N.J....in high school, she was voted Most Talkative but considers herself shy...her brother, Mark, played football at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Pa.

About Mandy...
Academic Major: Interpersonal/Organizational Communications
Career Plans: Sales Representative
Hobbies: Soccer, Biking, and Sand VolleyballAthletes I Most Admire: Manu Ginobili and Leo Messi
Biggest Sports Thrill: Winning 2006 National Championship
People with the Greatest Influence on my Athletic Career: My parents, my Brother Mark, and Jo Montana
Favorite Book: Man's Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl
Favorite Foods: Chicken, Chocolate, and Sweet Tea (yes that is a food!)
Favorite Movies: A League of Their Own and Shrek 2
Favorite TV Show: Family Guy
Favorite TV Show as a Child: Doug!
Sport You Would Play Other Than Soccer: Sand Volleyball
Superpower You Wish You Had: Whatever Superman has
Place You Want To Live For The Rest Of Your Life? North Carolina
I Can't Live Without...: (i.e. family, cell phone, facebook) Friends, My Family and.... Kittens!!! ☺