"Mia Hamm" (born "Mariel Margret Hamm" on March 17, 1972 in Selma, Alabama) is an American female soccer player. Hamm has been able to garner the respect of soccer experts and build a large fan base in the United States, where she plays in the United States women's national soccer team.

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Hamm was born in Alabama and grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas, but now considers Chapel Hill, North Carolina her hometown. The youngest player ever to play for the national team at age 15, Mia later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was nicknamed ''Jordan'' by her peers, in reference to another UNC athlete, Michael Jordan. She helped take the Tar Heels to four consecutive NCAA women'schampionships. She was an All-American and Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year for the last three years of her college tenure.

In 1991, when the US women's national team won the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time with Hamm and teammates including Michelle Akers, Brandi Chastain, and Kristine Lilly, Hamm became the youngest American woman to win a World Cup championship at the age of 19. In 1993, she graduated from college with the all time records for her conference in goals with 103, assists wth 72, and total points with 278.

She has garnered numerous awards and recognitions during her career as a soccer player. Among those, she was elected as the Soccer USA's female athlete of the year five years in a row (1994-1998), she was elected MVP of the women's cup in 1995, she was elected one of the ''50 most beautiful people in the world'' by People Magazine in 1997, she was elected number 14 among soccer's most influential people by Soccer Business International magazine, and won three ESPY awards in a row, given to her by ESPN, one of them for ''soccer player of the year'' and the other two for ''Female Athlete of the Year''.

In 1996, Hamm and the rest of the US women's national team played for the gold medal in the Atlanta Olympic Games in front of 80,000 spectators in Athens, Georgia, then an all-time record for any women's sporting event. That day, Hamm and her teammates were able to conquer China to win the gold medal.

In 1999, Nike named the largest building on their corporate campus after this star, and that same year she, Chastain, Kate Sobrero, Lorrie Fair, Tiffeny Milbrett and the rest of the women on the national team became world champions again, by winning the FIFA Women's World Cup. Chastain's take-the-jersey-off celebration after the win became an instant legendary sports moment. The final match surpassed the Atlanta Olympic final as the most-attended women's sports event, with over 90,000 filling the Rose Bowl.

Also in '99, Hamm began the ''Mia Foundation'', dedicated to help with bone narrow research and to help women sports programs progress. She was inspired to create her foundation by her adoptive brother, a half Puerto Rican who died of a bone marrow disease.

She first married in 1994 to a Navy pilot, Christian Corry, but the marriage was strained by long absences (his as a naval aviator, and hers in international soccer), and they divorced in 2001. In 2002, she became engaged to marry Nomar Garciaparra, a baseball star with the Boston Red Sox. Also in 2002, she was named by the FIFA as the ''Female Player of The Year'' alongside Ronaldo, who won ''Male Player of The Year'' honors.

On November 22, 2003, Hamm and Garciaparra were married at Fontana, California in a private ceremony. A few hundred guests attended.

As of 2004, Hamm, who loves to meet and greet fans and sign autographs for them, is still a member of the USA women's national soccer team. On May 14, she announced her retirement as a player, effective at the end of the 2004 Summer Olympics.

In March 2004, Hamm and former USA teammate Michelle Akers were the only two women, and the only two Americans, named to the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players selected by Pelé and commissioned by FIFA for that organization's 100th anniversary.

In a friendly against Australia on July 21, 2004, Hamm scored her 150th international goal; she has long held the record in that category for any player, male or female. This match also marked her 259th international appearance; only her teammate Kristine Lilly has played in more internationals.

Hamm, Mia

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 Mia Hamm in the News
1. U.S. women's soccer beats Brazil - - www.msnbc.msn.com
                              Web Search            Search MSNBC • • •   Wambach whose header in the Olympic gold medal game lifted the United States women to victory over Brazil scored two goals and assisted

2. Celeb Quotes to Appear on Heinz Bottles - 20 Sep 04 - ABC News
Celeb Quotes to Appear on Heinz Bottles

3. Soccer fever hits US - 11/07/1999 - BBC News
As the US team wins the Women's World Cup, the American obsession with soccer reaches its climax.

4. Celebrating the power to change - - www.buffalonews.com
Sunday September 26 2004 Yellow Page Categories Reverse Phone Lookup Use our printed directory or Sports > > > Celebrating the power to change Fans thank influential U S soccer team By AMY MORITZ News Sports Reporter 9 26 2004 Click to view

5. Athens Games: Best of Greek Past, Present - 30 Aug 04 - ABC News
Athens Games: Best of Greek Past, Present

6. Rose Bowl sell-out - 10/07/1999 - BBC News
Tickets for the US-China final of the Women's World Cup on Saturday are changing hands for $800 as a summer obsession reaches its climax.

7. Roundup: Arsenal wins, extends unbeaten streak to 47 - - The Seattle Times
seattletimes com Sports Sunday September 26 2004 12 00 A M Soccer Roundup Arsenal wins extends unbeaten streak to 47 By The Associated Press and Bloomberg News LONDON Defending champion Arsenal stretched its unbeaten record in the English Premier

8. U.S. Soccer's Fab Five Go Out With Gold - 26 Aug 04 - ABC News
U.S. Soccer's Fab Five Go Out With Gold

9. U.S. women beat Iceland 4-3 behind Wambach - - sportsillustrated.cnn.com
THE WEB SI com Wambach scores twice in U S win Posted Saturday September 25 2004 11 09PM Updated Saturday September 25 2004 11 09PM ROCHESTER N Y Abby Wambach couldn t have written a better script for her return to her hometown Wambach whose

10. The U.S. Gives mia hamm a Golden Farewell - 26 Aug 04 - ABC News
The U.S. Gives mia hamm a Golden Farewell

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 Mia Hamm on the Web
1. mia hamm - America's Deadly Weapon
Last update 1996.
http://www.soccer.com/euro/features/hamm.html Open Directory, Yahoo Sites, Yahoo, MSN, Google, Alltheweb

2. welcome to the mia hamm foundation web site
... home : our mission : message from mia : what's new : mia's heroes : about mia : bone marrow info ...
http://www.miafoundation.org/ MSN, Alltheweb, Yahoo Sites, Google, Yahoo

3. mia hamm
(Infoplease.com)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0763457.html Open Directory, Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb, Google

4. mia hamm
. ... US Soccer star mia hamm creates charitable Foundation for researching bone marrow diseases and encouraging and empowering young female athletes. ...
http://www.womensoccer.com/biogs/hamm.html Google, Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb

5. hamm
... mia hamm. Videos ... 12. mia hamm - SI for Women (12/06/99) ...
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6. CNN Programs - People in the News
... mia hamm helps kick off the inaugural game of the Women's United Soccer Association in April 2001 as ... the grace and skill of mia hamm flashed across television screens, helping ...
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/hamm/profile.html Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb, Google

7. soccer profile: mia hamm
FORWARD. mia hamm. Height: 5-5 (1.65 m). Weight: 125 (57 kg). Born: March 17, 1972, in Selma, Alabama. Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina. College: University of North Carolina. Club: Washington Freedom (WUSA). ... golf and watching college basketball ... Started the mia hamm Foundation in 1999 to benefit Bone Marrow Research ...
http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/hamm.htm Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb, Google

8. FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003
... decorated player in the history of women's football, mia hamm has inspired a generation and has brought the ... In 1999, she created the mia hamm foundation (www.miafoundation.org), a ...
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/03/en/t/pl/292.html Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb, Google

9. Who2 Profile: mia hamm
about the American football player. Features a brief profile, related links, and vital stats.
http://www.who2.com/miahamm.html Yahoo Sites, Google, Yahoo, Alltheweb

10. http://www.angelfire.com/al/allo/mia.html
... mia hamm is a shy and soft spoken person who has a huge impact over young soccer players all ... Name: Mariel Margret hamm (mia is her more popular nick name ...
http://www.angelfire.com/al/allo/mia.html Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb

11. USA WEEKEND Magazine
Issue date: June 20, 1999. The new face of a role model. Girls around the globe finally get the role model they deserve: mia hamm. ... into good causes: creating the mia hamm Foundation - dedicated to bone-marrow ...
http://www.usaweekend.com/99_issues/990620/990620hamm.html Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb

12. FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003
... decorated player in the history of women's football, mia hamm has inspired a generation and has brought the ... In 1999, she created the mia hamm foundation (www.miafoundation.org), a ...
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/03/en/t/team/usa/hamm.html Yahoo, Google, Alltheweb

13. mia hamm
mia hamm is a famous American soccer player. She has scored more then 100 goals! mia was born in 1973. She lived all over the world because her father was in the military. mia's brother Garret introduced her to soccer.
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/womenenc/hamm.htm Yahoo, Google, Alltheweb

14. Elaine's mia hamm Page
web tribute with picture galleries.
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Pressbox/6343 Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb

15. mia hamm Online Shrine
... The mia hamm. Online Shrine ... Get all of the latest news in the mia hamm Online Shrine Newsroom ...
http://www.online-shrine.com/hamm Alltheweb, Open Directory, Yahoo

16. Allison's mia hamm Page
(Click picture to enter) "I've worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down." Quoted from mia hamm. Welcome to my mia hamm homepage!
http://www.angelfire.com/al/allo Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb

17. Elaine's mia hamm Page
web tribute with picture galleries.
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Pressbox/6343/ Yahoo Sites, Google, Open Directory

18. mia hamm, World Class Soccer Champion - A talented young woman athlete's rise to fame
Winning the 1999 Women's World Cup Soccer Championship is only the latest in a long list of achievements for mia hamm both on and off the field. A sports article by John Shepler. ... Congratulations, mia, On Your Athens Olympic Gold Medal Win! mia hamm, World Class Soccer Champion ... stares intently at her opponent. mia hamm has that no-nonsense focus of ...
http://www.johnshepler.com/articles/miahamm.html Yahoo, MSN, Alltheweb

19. mia hamm - Women in Sports Women's Sports
goals. Search. mia hamm. mia hamm is today's hero. hamm was born March 17, 1972 in Selma, AL. She played sports as a youngster. hamm's ...
http://www.makeithappen.com/wis/bios/hammm.html Google, Yahoo, Alltheweb

20. Bomis: mia hamm Ring
A ring devoted to soccer star mia hamm ... Bomis: mia hamm Ring ... Spend a year with the 2-time champs mia hamm, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett ...
http://www.bomis.com/rings/miahamm Yahoo, Alltheweb