Two Former Gators on U.S. Olympic Soccer Team

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two former University of Florida soccer standouts
- Heather Mitts and Abby Wambach - are members of the 2008 United States Olympic Women’s Soccer team. U.S. Head Coach Pia Sundhage announced the 18-player roster today in Chicago. Mitts and Wambach were also part of the last Olympic team, with Wambach scoring the game-winner in overtime to give the U.S. a 2-1 win over Brazil in the 2004 gold medal match.

As a senior in 2001, Wambach led the nation in scoring with 31 goals,
14 assists for 76 points. She is the Gators' career leader in goals (96), assists (50) and points (242) and stands sixth on the NCAA Career charts in goals and points. Wambach earned National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) All-America first-team honors in 1999 and 2001. She is a four-time member of the All-Southeastern Conference first team and picked up the SEC Player of the Year award in 2000 and ’01.

Wambach is considered one of the world's top players. She has scored 98 goals, which computes to scoring in 80 percent of her 123 U.S. National Team appearances. She is two goals away from joining the U.S. Women's 100-goal scorers list, which currently includes such luminaries as Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Michelle Akers and Tiffeny Milbrett. Wambach leads the USA in 2008 scoring with 12 goals.

As a Gator, Mitts earned All-America and All-SEC honors in her final two seasons (1998 & ’99). Mitts is third on UF’s career list with
7,547 minutes played and is tied for fourth with 95 matches played. The defender also was a NCAA Championship All-Tournament team selection when the Gators claimed the 1998 national title.

With the naming to her second Olympic Team, Mitts completes a long road back from injury. She tore her left anterior cruciate ligament in May of
2007 versus Canada which sidelined her for the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She returned to the U.S. lineup in late April for the USA’s series of domestic matches and has re-established herself as a consistent presence at right back. Last weekend, the U.S. won the 2008 Peace Queen Cup in South Korea. Mitts started each of the four matches, playing the entirety of three. She has earned 78 caps with the U.S.
National Team.

The Olympic format consists of 12 teams, placed into three groups of four teams each. The USA received a top seed in the tournament (Group G) along with host China, which will head Group E and Germany, which will head Group F. The U.S. Women's team will face Norway, Japan and New Zealand in Group G. In the 12-team women’s tournament, the top two teams in each of the three groups plus the two best third-place teams after the completion of first-round play will advance to the quarterfinals.