CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — One of the greatest soccer players of all time will return to her alma mater in Chapel Hill next year to address the Class of 2025.
Mia Hamm will be the commencement speaker at the University of North Carolina’s 2025 spring commencement, the school announced Thursday. According to the school, she will address graduates on May 10 in Keenan Stadium at 7 p.m.
“I want the Class of 2025 to know that Carolina has prepared them to define their own legacy in this world,” Hamm said in a statement. “It’s a place where I was consistently challenged, loved, and developed not only into the player, but into the person I am today.”
Hamm played at Carolina from 1989 to 1993 under legendary coach Anson Dorrance. During her time with the Tar Heels, she set the NCAA women’s soccer scoring record with 278 points and led the team to NCAA championships in 1989, 1990, 1992, and 1993. She graduated in 1994 with a political science degree.
Considered the most famous women’s soccer player in the world, Hamm is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion. She was a member of both U.S. teams that won the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991 and the inaugural women’s soccer Olympics tournament in 1996.
Outside of soccer, Hamm is recognized for creating the Mia Hamm Foundation in 1999 to raise awareness for bone marrow and cord blood transplants, as well as increase opportunities for young women in sports.
“We are elated that Mia Hamm — arguably the most famous woman athlete in the world — will give the keynote address and share her unique perspective with our Class of 2025 graduates and their guests,” UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts said. “Not only does she have one of the most impressive soccer careers in history, but she has also used her platform to further women’s sports programs, strengthen bone marrow research and help families of patients following organ transplants. She’s a wonderful example of Carolina excellence, and we eagerly await the insights and advise she has for our graduates.”