April Heinrichs

April Heinrichs (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2006

 April was the head coach of the U.S. Women‘s National Team from 2000 – 2005, the first woman to hold that position. In 2003, she led the USto a third-place finish in the Women’s World Cup, and the next year to a gold medal victory at the 2004 Olympics in Greece. April played four years at the University of North Carolina where she was named First-Team All-American three times. She then played professionally with the Italian Club team Prato. In 1991 she captained the US to the Women’s World Cup title. She served as head coach at Princeton, the University  of Maryland, and the University of Virginia. April also was head coach of the U16 National Team for four years. Her honors include being named US Soccer’s Chevrolet Female Athlete of the Year in both 1986 and 1989 and Soccer America’s Female Player of the 1980s. April was the first female player inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame, and, in 2000, was named as the inaugural recipient of the NSCAA Women’s Committee Award of Excellence.