April Heinrichs Inducted to National Soccer Hall of Fame

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June 5, 1998

ONEONTA, N.Y. – On Tuesday, June 2, University of Virginia head women’s soccer coach April Heinrichs was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y. Along with Heinrichs, international superstar Franz Beckenbauer and administrators Peter Collins and Patrick Smith were inducted.

Heinrichs is the first female player to ever be into the Hall of Fame (two other women have been elected for their contributions to soccer as administrators). During her playing career, Heinrichs was captain of the 1991 women’s national team that won the USA’s first world championship in China. She was voted as the top female player of the 1980s by Soccer America and was a two-time U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year (1986 and 1989) with 47 international appearances and 37 goals for the U.S. Heinrichs played college ball at the University of North Carolina, where she won three national championships (1983, 1984 and 1986) and was named National Player of the Year twice (1984 and 1986). In addition to her coaching duties at UVa, Heinrichs currently serves as the head coach of the U.S. under-16 girls national team and as an assistant for the U.S. women’s national team.