Shannon MacMillan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shannon MacMillan

Personal information
Full name	Shannon Ann MacMillan
Date of birth	(1974-10-07) October 7, 1974 (age 50)
Place of birth	Syosset, New York, U.S.
Height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder, forward
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–1995	Portland Pilots
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2003	San Diego Spirit
International career
1993–2005	United States	177	(60)
Managerial career
2007–2008	UCLA Bruins (assistant)
Medal record Women's football (soccer) Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1996 Atlanta Team competition Silver 2000 Sydney Team competition FIFA Women's World Cup Gold 1999 USA Team competition Bronze 2003 USA Team competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Shannon MacMillan playing soccer.

Shannon Ann MacMillan (born October 7, 1974) is a famous American soccer player who is now retired. She was also a coach. Shannon is known for being a FIFA Women's World Cup champion. She also won a gold medal and a silver medal at the Olympic Games.

In 2002, Shannon was named the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year. She played for the United States women's national soccer team from 1994 to 2006. She was a key part of the team that won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. This team is often called the '99ers. She helped the team win gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics and silver at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

After her playing career, MacMillan became an assistant coach for the UCLA Bruins women's soccer team in 2007. In 2016, she was honored by being added to the National Soccer Hall of Fame. She is also part of the group that owns Angel City FC, a team in the National Women's Soccer League.

Shannon MacMillan: Early Life and College

Shannon MacMillan was born in Syosset, New York. She grew up in Escondido, California. She went to San Pasqual High School. She has an older brother named Sean.

College Soccer Success

Shannon played college soccer for the University of Portland. She was an amazing player there. In 1995, she won the Hermann Trophy. This award goes to the best female college soccer player in the country. She was recognized as an All-America player every year from 1992 to 1995.

Shannon MacMillan's Playing Career

Playing for Clubs

Shannon was one of the first players in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). This was a professional soccer league for women in the United States. She played for the San Diego Spirit for three seasons.

Playing for Team USA

Shannon joined the United States National Team in 1993 while she was still in college. She started as a midfielder. By the year 2000, she moved to play as a forward. This position is usually for players who score goals.

Shannon during a halftime workout at a game.

Shannon scored important goals for Team USA. In the 1996 Olympic semifinal game against Norway, she scored the winning goal in overtime. In the Olympic final against China, she scored the first goal of the match. This goal helped her team win the gold medal.

She was known as a "super-sub" for the US Women's National Team. This means she was a very effective player who often came off the bench to make a big impact. She played in the 1999 Women's World Cup and the 2000 Olympic team.

Amazing Comeback

Shannon showed incredible strength and determination. She tore a ligament in her knee (ACL) just four months before the 2003 Women's World Cup. Many thought she wouldn't be able to play. But she recovered super fast and earned a spot on the team!

In 2002, Shannon scored 17 goals. Because of her great performance, she was voted the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year. She stopped playing international soccer in 2006 when she was 31 years old. She finished her international career with 60 goals. She also played in 175 games for her country. This was one of the highest numbers of games played by any woman at that time.

Awards and Honors

Shannon MacMillan received many awards for her soccer skills.

• She won the MAC Hermann Trophy Award in 1995.
• She was voted U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year in 2002.
• On September 25, 2007, she was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.
• As a senior at Portland, she also won the Honda Sports Award. This award recognizes the top soccer player in the nation.

Coaching and Beyond

In 2007, Shannon became an assistant coach for the UCLA women's soccer team. Later, in 2010, she became the Director of the Competitive Program at the Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks Soccer Club. She is now the Executive Director of the Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks. She also worked as a senior adviser for San Diego Loyal SC.

See also

In Spanish: Shannon MacMillan para niños