December 13, 1998

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Cindy Parlow of the University of North Carolina joined Mia Hamm on Saturday as the only two-time recipients of the Hermann Trophy, awarded to college soccer's top player.

Clemson's Wojtek Krakowiak won the men's honor.

Parlow, a senior forward for the perennial national power Tar Heels, had 21 goals, including seven game-winning goals, 11 assists and 53 points in leading North Carolina to a 25-1 record in 1998. The team's lone loss came to Florida in the national championship game when award runnerup Danielle Fotopolous scored the game's only goal.

Parlow, who is a star on the U.S. women's national and under-21 teams, also was named the inaugural women's Chevrolet/United States Soccer Youth Player of the Year on Saturday. Josh Wolff, a South Carolina alumnus now with the Chicago Fire and the U.S. under-23 national team, won the inaugural men's youth award.

In two of the closest votes in Herman Trophy history, Parlow edged national scoring record-holder Fotopolous 300-282 in the female voting, while Krakowiak beat senior Connecticut midfielder Maurizio Rocha, 127-125.

"I've played with some of the best players in the nation, and four of them will be joining me in training for the World Cup," said Parlow, referring to current Tar Heel teammates Tiffany Roberts, Siri Mullinix, Lorrie Fair and Laurie Schwoy. "If it wasn't for them, I would never strive to be the player that I've become."

Hamm, who also played for the Tar Heels, won the Hermann Trophy in 1992 and 1993. Earlier this week, Parlow was named the winner of the Missouri Athletic Club Sports Foundation Player of the Year award for the second successive year as well.

The Hermann Trophy, presented by the National Soccer Hall of Fame and sponsored by FILA, has been given to the top male player for 32 years and to the top female player for the last 11 years.