The Soccer America College Team of the Century were chosen by the editors of the American periodical Soccer America to comprise, as one men's and one women's eleven-member side divided each as one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders, and three forwards, the best players of collegiate association football in the United States of the 20th century CE.
Concomitant to the selection of the Men's Team of the Century was that of the male player of the century; University of Virginia Cavaliers midfielder Claudio Reyna, a Division I first-team All America in each of his three collegiate seasons, a two-time recipient of the Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year and Soccer America Player of the Year Awards, and the 1993 Hermann Trophy winner, was so chosen by Soccer America .
Concomitant to the selection of the Women's Team of the Century was that of the female player of the century; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Mia Hamm, a Division I first-team All America in her final three collegiate seasons, a two-time recipient of the Hermann Trophy and the ISAA Player of the Year and Soccer America Player of the Year Awards, and with the Tar Heels four times a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I champion, was so chosen.
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top men's and women's college soccer players.
Albert Anson Dorrance IV is an American soccer coach. He is currently the head coach of the women's soccer program at the University of North Carolina. He has one of the most successful coaching records in the history of athletics. Under Dorrance's leadership, the Tar Heels have won 21 of the 41 NCAA Women's Soccer Championships. The Tar Heels' record under Dorrance stood at 809-67-36 over 33 seasons at the end of the 2017 season. He has led his team to a 101-game unbeaten streak and coached 13 different women to a total of 20 National Player of the Year awards.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State. The campus at Chapel Hill is referred to as the University of North Carolina for the purposes of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was chartered in 1789, and in 1795 it became the first state-supported university in the United States. Since the school fostered the oldest collegiate team in the Carolinas, the school took on the nickname Carolina, especially in athletics. The Tar Heels are also referred to as UNC or The Heels.
The North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I soccer. The team has won 22 of the 35 Atlantic Coast Conference championships, and 21 of the 41 NCAA national championships. The team has participated in every NCAA tournament.
Shannon Danise Higgins-Cirovski is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who earned fifty-one caps with the United States between 1987 and 1991. She was a member of the U.S. team at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Kerri Michel Hanks Petersen is an American soccer forward who last played for Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer. She is currently the competitive program director for Gainesville Soccer Alliance in Gainesville, Florida.
Yael Averbuch West is an American former professional soccer player. She was formerly the executive director of the National Women's Soccer League Players Association and is the current general manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC. A retired professional soccer player, she last played as a defender for Seattle Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League.
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's soccer team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in men's NCAA Division I soccer competition. They compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels won the NCAA championship in 2001 and 2011.
The 2013 NCAA Division I men's soccer season was the 55th season of NCAA championship men's college soccer. There were 203 teams in men's Division I competition. The defending champions were the Indiana Hoosiers who defeated the Georgetown Hoyas in the 2012 College Cup. The season concluded with Notre Dame defeating Maryland 2–1 to win its first NCAA soccer title.
Crystal Alyssia Soubrier is an American professional soccer player for National Women's Soccer League club Portland Thorns FC and the United States women's national team. She first appeared for her country during an international friendly against Scotland on February 13, 2013. She has since made more than 100 total appearances for the team.
Holly Jean Manthei is an American retired soccer midfielder-forward and former member of the United States women's national soccer team.
Alessia Mia Teresa Russo is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the England national team. She previously played club football for Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, as well as college soccer for North Carolina Tar Heels. At United, Russo won awards from the club including Player of the Year and Goal of the Season, and was twice top scorer. She has also been awarded Player of the Month and Goal of the Month in the WSL.
Catarina Cantanhede Melônio Macário is a football player who plays as a forward for Chelsea in the Women's Super League in England. Born in Brazil, she represents the United States internationally.
Alexander Regis Comsia is a Canadian soccer player who last played for North Carolina FC in the USL Championship. He played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels program. After his Senior season, Comsia was selected First team 2018 NCAA Men's Soccer All-Americans and the ACC Defender of the Year, two of the most prestigious individual awards in collegiate soccer.
Robin Janelle Confer is an American former soccer player who played as a forward, making eight appearances for the United States women's national team.
Laurie Annette Schwoy is an American former soccer player who played as a midfielder or forward, making four appearances for the United States women's national team.
Brianna Alexis Smalls Pinto is an American professional soccer player who currently plays as a midfielder for North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
College soccer in the United States is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. College soccer in the United States is sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the sports regulatory body for major universities, and by the governing bodies for smaller universities and colleges.