Jan. 10, 2000

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland women's soccer coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski has been named to the Soccer America Women's College Soccer Team of the Century. Higgins-Cirovski was a standout as a player at the University of North Carolina from 1986-89 and with the United States National Team until 1991.

The former Shannon Higgins helped lead the Tar Heels to four NCAA titles and a cumulative record of 89-0-6 from 1986-89. A two-time first-team All-American, she was named national Player of the Year by Soccer America in 1988 and 1989 and consensus national Player of the Year in 1989. Higgins-Cirovski was the 1989 recipient of the prestigious Hermann Award as the nation's top Division I women's soccer player. In addition, she won the Honda-Broderick award as the top female athlete in the nation, also in 1989.

She pulled off the remarkable feat of scoring the game-winning goals in the 1987, 1988 and 1989 NCAA championship matches. She ended her career at UNC tied for first in career assists (51), fifth in scoring (129 points) and seventh in goals (39). She is one of five women's soccer players in UNC history to have her jersey number (3) retired by the university.

She continued her playing career at the international level, representing the United States in competition 51 times. She assisted on both of the U.S. team's goals in a 2-1 win over Norway in the 1991 World Cup final, this country's first world soccer title. She retired as a player following the '91 World Cup. Higgins-Cirovski was honored by FIFA this past summer, along with the entire 1991 world champion U.S. women's team, at halftime of the 1999 World Cup championship game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

In her first season as the head coach at Maryland in 1999, Higgins-Cirovski was named ACC Coach of the Year after leading the Terps to an 11-10-1 record and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, in the team's fifth consecutive playoff appearance.

Soccer America Women's College Soccer Team of the Century

Mia Hamm North Carolina (1989-90, 92-93) - Women's Player of the Century

Kim Maslin George Mason (1983-86)

Carla Werden North Carolina (1986-89)

Debbie Belkin Massachusetts (1986-89)

Sara Whalen Connecticut (1994-97)

Shannon Higgins North Carolina (1986-89)

Kristine Lilly North Carolina (1989-92)

Michelle Akers Central Florida (1984-89)

Julie Foudy Stanford (1989-92)

April Heinrichs North Carolina (1983-86)

Carin Jennings UC Santa Barbara (1983-86)