National Team Women Headline 2007 Soccer HOF Ballot

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ONEONTA, NY (January 5, 2007) – Two-time World Champions and Olympic Gold Medalists Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy, and Mia Hamm headline the 2007 Hall of Fame Ballot. The three players join 10 others on the ballot for the first time, including 1999 World Champions Cindy Parlow and Saskia Webber and U.S. Men's National Team players Joe-Max Moore and Brian Maisonneuve. Also on the ballot for the first time are former Major League Soccer stars Raul Diaz Arce and Marco Etcheverry. They join the 49 players who carry over from the 2006 Ballot, including Thomas Dooley and Peter Nowak, who received over 50% of the vote last year.

Ballots will be distributed in January to voters from four distinct groups: 1) Nominated soccer media, 2) All Hall of Famers, 3) All National Team coaches, past and present, and current Major League Soccer coaches with 4 years or more tenure, and 4) A select group of soccer administrators. All ballots count equally. "The Hall of Fame began its current voting process in 2000," Jack Huckel, Hall of Fame Director of Museum and Archives, said. "We have developed, over the past six elections, a solid core of knowledgeable voters that ensures only the most deserving are elected. We expect to receive a record number of ballots in 2007. In the past more than 100 individuals have voted, with the media being the largest group, followed by the Hall of Famers."

With a star-studded ballot of candidates, the Hall of Fame is at work preparing for its largest ceremony ever. "We anticipate an extremely large turnout in 2007," said Hall of Fame Acting President George Brown, Hall of Fame Class of '95. "Consequently, we are breaking with tradition and planning an outdoor ceremony to accommodate as many fans as possible. We are fortunate that we can use one of our four world-class soccer fields as the setting for the ceremonies. What could be more appropriate for soccer players as they enter immortality at the Hall of Fame."

Other first year players on the ballot include Women's National Team veterans Amanda Cromwell and Siri Mullinix, MLS veteran Leonel Alvarez, and MISL veteran goalkeeper Victor Nogueira, who qualifies for the Hall of Fame based upon his play in the North American Soccer League. Returners who also polled well in the 2006 election include U.S. National Team and MLS player Peter Vermes and MLS international Carlos Valderama.

The two players who receive the most votes are elected to the Hall of Fame each year as long as they are named on at least 50% of the ballots cast. A third candidate may be elected if that candidate is named on at least 80% of the ballots cast. Players are eligible for election in their third year of retirement from professional soccer and remain on the ballot for up to ten years following retirement. In order to become eligible for the Hall of Fame, a player must have played at least 20 full international games for the United States or five seasons in a United States first-division pro league, and have met certain other qualifications. Visit the Hall of Fame web site, www.soccerhall.org, for the details of the eligibility and election process.

The Hall of Fame anticipates announcing the results of the election in February at a time and date yet to be determined.

The National Soccer Hall of Fame located in Oneonta, N.Y., celebrates the history, honors the heroes and preserves the legacy of soccer in the United States. For more information, log on to soccerhall.org.