1989 MAC Hermann Trophy Winner

College: University of North Carolina

Position: Midfielder

Hometown: Kent, WA

A 1990 graduate of North Carolina, Shannon Higgins helped lead the Tar Heels to four NCAA titles as a player and a cumulative record of 89-0-6 from 1986-89. In addition to being awarded the 1989 MAC Hermann Trophy she was also a two-time first-team All-American and the Soccer America National Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989.

Incredibly, Higgins scored the game-winning goals in the 1987, 1988 and 1989 NCAA championship matches. She ended her career at UNC tied for first in career assists (51), fifth in scoring (129 points) and seventh in goals (39). She is one of nine women's soccer players in UNC history to have her jersey number (3) retired by the university.

After graduating from UNC Higgins continued her playing career at the international level, representing the United States in competition 51 times. She led the USA team to its first World Cup Championship, assisting on both of the U.S. team's goals in a 2-1 win over Norway in the 1991 World Cup final.

She was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002. That year, the Atlantic Coast Conference named her to its list of the Top 50 ACC Athletes in the first fifty years of the conference’s existence.