Gator Great Abby Wambach announces retirement from soccer
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 | Soccer
GAINESVILLE, Florida - Gator Great Abby Wambach, the world international goals leader at 184, announced her retirement from soccer. Wambach will play the final four matches of the U.S. Women's National Team Victory Tour, which ends with a Dec. 16 date versus China in New Orleans.
|
Abby Wambach Speaking at UF Nov. 3 |
|
Abby Wambach will be the guest speaker at the upcoming event hosted by ACCENT Speaker Bureau. When: Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. Where: Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Cost: Free More Information at ACCENT Facebook Tickets for event distributed at Phillips Center box office on following schedule: UF Students with valid UF ID: General Public: pick up a maximum of two tickets starting at noon Nov. 3 |
While with U.S. National Team:
Wambach was named the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or or FIFA World Player of the Year. The five goals she scored in London helped the U.S. to 2012 Olympic gold – the second Olympic gold of her career. She played in four Women's World Cups (2003 – third place; 2007 – third; 2011 – second; 2015 – champions).
She passed the previous international record with a four-goal match versus Korea Republic on June 20, 2013 at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. The previous record of 156 goals was owned by Mia Hamm. The 184 goals is the high for men or women in international play.
During her 15-year international career, Wambach earned 255 caps, which ranks sixth all-time in U.S. history.
In April of 2015, Wambach was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People.
U.S. National Team release on Wambach retirement
As a Gator:
Before she was an international soccer star, Wambach was scoring goals for the Gators.
A lot of goals.
Wambach is the Gators' career leader in goals (96), assists (50) and points (242) and stands seventh on the NCAA Career charts in goals and points.
She 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 2001. As a freshman, Wambach was a member of the Gators' 1998 NCAA Championship team. The Gators won the SEC title each year of her collegiate career.
Wambach was inducted into the Florida Athletics Hall of Fame in April of 2012.
What the Gators Said:
On her role with U.S. Team
She's (Wambach) been such a remarkable leader for the National Team. Particularly in the role she's been in this year with the World Cup. That's not an easy transition, and I thought she did it really, really well. It was really neat to watch. I think that my definition of leadership is those that make players around them better, and I think she (Wambach) has done that for her entire career." – Florida head coach Becky Burleigh
Do you think of Wambach as a representative of U.S. or as a Gator?
"I think both. What I really think of her is she's an ultimate competitor. What a long and storied career she's had. It's been pretty cool to see her really evolve as a rookie on the National team, to a veteran, to a huge leader... I think a big part of why they (U.S. Women's National Team) won the World Cup this year was Abby. Some people would argue that because of her lesser contribution on the field, but I would say it's more of what she did within that culture." – Florida head coach Becky Burleigh
On what Abby Wambach means to you:
"She means a lot. Winning a national championship here, which is what I'm aspiring to do, and obviously going to the World Cup and winning, being successful on the national team – those are things I feel like me and a few other people on the team aspire to do. It's cool to have someone to look up to from the same university that you went to." – senior defender Claire Falknor
On what Abby Wambach means to her:
"She's definitely an inspiration. She's (Wambach) someone who I look up to and I would aspire to play like. I always say that I want to be my own individual player, not be labeled as someone else - but I think she's a great inspiration for me. It's awesome to be compared to her at all." – junior forward Savannah Jordan
