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Kristine Lilly
- Three-time Olympian (2004, 2000, 1996)
- Two-time Olympic gold medalist (1996, 2004), silver medalist (2000)
- Two-time World Cup champion (1991, 1999), bronze medalist (2003)
- Known as USA’s “Iron Woman” for most career international games played
- Long known as the best flank midfielder in the world; In 2000, became the first player in history, man or woman, to play in 200 career international games
- First appearance as national team member: Aug. 3, 1987, vs. China; Still the USA’s and world’s all-time appearance leader
- The second all-time leading scorer in U.S. and world history; En route to becoming the fifth player in world history to score 100 international goals
- Scored three goals with three assists, including two spectacular goals in the 2003 Women’s World Cup; Played every minute of all six games to help the USA win the 1999 Women's World Cup, scoring two goals with one assist
- Made one of the biggest plays in U.S. history when she cleared a Chinese header off the goal line with her head in sudden death overtime of the final; • Nailed the crucial third penalty kick against China in the final to put the USA ahead
- Had her best scoring year ever in 1999 with 20 goals and eight assists, becoming just the fourth player in history to score 20 goals in a year; In 1998, she set the U.S. record for consecutive games started with 62
- Member of the gold medal-winning team at the 1998 Goodwill Games; Played every minute of the USA's five matches at the ’96 Olympics, and created the first goal in the gold medal game with a cross from the left flank
- Named U.S. Soccer's 1993 Chevrolet Female Athlete of the Year; As a 20-year-old, she was a member of the team that won the title at the first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup in China in 1991
- Founding player in the WUSA for the Boston Breakers and became only three-time First-Team All-WUSA; Played in 1994 for Tyreso Football Club in Sweden along with U.S. National Team teammates Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy and Mary Harvey
- Played professional indoor soccer with the Washington Warthogs in the Continental Indoor Soccer League during the 1995 season; Named to Soccer America’s College Team of the Decade for the 1990s; 1991 Hermann Trophy winner
- Led UNC to four NCAA titles from 1989-1992; had her UNC jersey #15 retired in 1994; Completed her collegiate career with 78 goals and 41 assists; Runs the Kristine Lilly Soccer Academy every summer in Wilton
- Led Wilton (Conn.) High School to three state titles and has the soccer field named after her; Her hometown of Wilton, Conn., dedicated a day to her and honored her with a parade after she won the 1996 gold medal
- Graduated from Univ. of North Carolina with a degree in Communications; On the Board of Directors for the non-profit organization Empowering Girls Through Sports (EGTS)
Lilly has never missed a game with an injury and credits her parents for instilling in her the right attitude and desire to live up to commitments. "It's just my job," she often says. Road sign entering her town reads, "Welcome to Wilton — Hometown of Kristine Lilly, Olympic gold medalist "
On eventual retirement from the game: "I try not think about it. But I want a storybook ending as much as anyone else." (credit: Stamford Advocate)
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Height: 5-4
Born: July 22, 1971
Hometown: Wilton, Conn.
Sport: Soccer
Event: Midfielder
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