April 25, 2002

ONEONTA, N.Y. - The National Soccer Hall of Fame, Oneonta, NY, released the Final Ballot for Induction 2002 today, featuring five North American Soccer League players and two US Women's National Team members. "We are proud to present these outstanding players for the Selection Committee and the soccer media to vote on for induction in 2002," Hall of Fame President/CEO Will Lunn stated. "They represent some of the finest players who have ever played soccer on American soil." The players are, in alphabetical order, Vladislav Bogicevic of the New York Cosmos, Shannon Higgins Cirovski of the US Women's National Team, Angelo DiBernardo of the New York Cosmos, Mary Harvey of the US Women's National and Olympic Teams, Ilija Mitic of the San Jose Earthquakes, Wolfgang Suhnholz of the Toronto Metros, and Al Trost of the St. Louis Stars. In addition to Harvey and Higgins, DiBernardo, Mitic, and Trost played for the US National Team during their careers. Bogicevic was an international for Yugoslavia.

"These players represent," Lunn continued, "every position, from striker to goalkeeper, with midfielders and defenders thrown into the fold. These selections are very challenging for everyone involved. Forwards and goalkeepers have statistics that make some comparison possible among themselves, but there are no easily definable statistics to measure a player's individual success - how can you measure a defender's or a defensive midfielder's prowess? It's impossible to keep a statistic on potential goals not scored! And these players have few chances to score goals. In soccer it is perception. This game is consistently about 'Beauty being in the eye of the beholder'."

The seven finalists were selected from a Preliminary Ballot of 122 eligible players by the National Soccer Hall of Fame Selection Advisory Committee, composed of current and former US National Team coaches. Final determination of the inductee or inductees is determined by a vote of the Advisory Committee and the media who have covered or are covering soccer in the United States.

Announcement of the 2002 Inductee(s) is expected in early June. Induction 2002 ceremonies will take place at The National Soccer Hall of Fame, Oneonta, NY, on Monday, October 14.

The mission of the National Soccer Hall of Fame is to tell the story and honor the heroes of soccer in the United States. Through an exciting multi-media interactive approach, the National Soccer Museum draws visitors into the game through sight and sound. The National Soccer Hall of Fame is open every day of the year, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Admission is $8 for adults, $6.50 for children, and $5.50 for senior citizens. Each admission includes a Kicks Zone game card for the Museum's interactive displays.

Biographies for Induction 2002 Finalists

Vladislav Bogicevic: North American Soccer League midfielder in the 1970s and '80s. Bogicevic played seven seasons in the NASL, all for the New York Cosmos. During that time, he won three NASL championships, in 1978, 1980 and 1982. He was chosen as a first-team NASL all-star five consecutive years, from 1980 to 1984, after having been a second-team all-star in 1978 and 1979. He played 203 NASL regular-season games and 33 NASL playoff games. In those games, he compiled a total of 39 goals and 166 assists. He led the NASL in assists in 1981, 1982 and 1983. Prior to joining the Cosmos, he had played 15 seasons for Red Star Belgrade in his native Yugoslavia and was capped by Yugoslavia 47 times.

Shannon Higgins-Cirovski: Midfield playmaker for the United States team that won the 1991 Women's World Cup. Higgins played in five of the United States' six games in that World Cup, and her free kick led to the United States' first goal in the final against Norway. She played 51 full internationals for the United States between 1987 and 1991, including those five at the 1991 Women's World Cup and four World Cup qualifiers earlier in 1991. Higgins won NCAA titles in each of her four seasons at the University of North Carolina and was the women's Hermann Trophy winner in 1989.

Angelo DiBernardo: North American Soccer League and U.S. national team midfielder in the 1970s and '80s. DiBernardo, the Hermann Trophy winner in 1978 while at Indiana University, played six seasons in the NASL, in 1979 for the Los Angeles Aztecs and from 1980 to 1984 for the New York Cosmos. He won an NASL title in 1980 with the Cosmos and played 87 NASL regular-season games and eight NASL playoff games. He played 20 full internationals for the United States between 1979 and 1985, including 10 World Cup qualifying games in 1980, 1984 and 1985, and was a member of the United States team at the 1984 Olympic Games. After the end of the NASL, he played three seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

Mary Harvey: Goalkeeper for the United States team that won the 1991 Women's World Cup. Harvey played a total of 27 full internationals for the United States between 1989 and 1996, including all six of the United States' games at the 1991 Women's World Cup. She also was a member of the gold-medal winning United States squad at the 1996 Olympic Games. Harvey, who starred at the University of California, also played five seasons in professional leagues in Germany and Sweden.

Ilija Mitic: One of the leading goalscorers in the early seasons of the North American Soccer League. Mitic played nine seasons in the NASL between 1968 and 1978 for the Oakland Clippers, Dallas Tornado and San Jose Earthquakes. During those seasons, he played 166 NASL regular-season games and nine NASL playoff games, scoring a total of 106 goals in those games. He was a first-team NASL all-star in 1968, 1969, 1973 and 1974, and at one point was the NASL's all-time leading goalscorer. Mitic, who had played for Partizan Belgrade and OFK Belgrade in his native Yugoslavia, played one full international for the United States.

Wolfgang Suhnholz: North American Soccer League midfielder in the 1970s and '80s. Suhnholz played six seasons in the NASL between 1975 and 1980 for the Boston Minutemen, Toronto Metros, Las Vegas Quicksilver, Los Angeles Aztecs and California Surf. He won an NASL championship in 1976 with Toronto and was named a first -team NASL all-star in 1977 and an honorable mention NASL all-star in 1975 and 1976. Suhnholz had played for Bayern Munich in his native Germany.

Al Trost: North American Soccer League and U.S. national team midfielder in the 1970s. Trost played 14 full internationals for the United States between 1973 and 1976, and was captain of the U.S. team in its five World Cup qualifying games in 1976. He also had been a member of the United States team at the 1972 Olympic Games. Trost played seven seasons in the NASL between 1973 and 1979 for the St. Louis Stars, California Surf and Seattle Sounders. In his 147 NASL regular-season games and two NASL playoff games, he scored a total of 38 goals. Trost, who won the Hermann Trophy in 1969 and 1970 while at St. Louis University, played one season in the Major Indoor Soccer League after retiring from the NASL.