 Mike Sorber On National Soccer Hall of Fame Ballot
Jan. 15, 2008
Billikens in National Soccer Hall of Fame ST. LOUIS • Saint Louis volunteer assistant soccer coach and current U.S. Men's National Team assistant Mike Sorber is among 57 candidates on the ballot for possible induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is slated for the weekend of Aug. 22-24 in Oneonta, N.Y. A Billiken midfielder from 1989-92, Sorber led the Bills to the 1991 NCAA semifinals and was a 1992 Hermann Trophy finalist. He finished his Billiken career with 55 points (13G, 29A). Following an impressive nine-year professional career, Sorber returned to his alma mater in 2001 and served a six-year stint as head assistant coach before being named assistant coach of the National Team by Bob Bradley. Sorber's greatest soccer accomplishments came as a professional. He earned 67 career caps with the U.S. National Team and was a key component of the 1994 FIFA World Cup team. After his stellar World Cup performance, Sorber played two seasons for UNAM Pumas in Mexico. He became the first American to earn All-Star status in Mexico's First Division. Sorber began his Major League Soccer (MLS) career with Kansas City during the league's inaugural 1996 season. He was traded in the off-season to the NY/NJ MetroStars and appeared in 74 matches over three seasons. The Chicago Fire acquired Sorber in a trade during the 2000 season, and he helped Chicago win the Central Division title and reach the MLS Cup final. In 116 career MLS appearances, he started 106 matches and totaled 37 points (9G, 19A).
Sorber first appeared on the ballot in 2004. He has remained a National Soccer Hall of Fame candidate by virtue of appearing on at least five percent of the ballots cast each year. Players who receive votes on 75 percent of the ballots are elected to the Hall of Fame. Among the voters are more than 100 media personnel from the print, broadcast and on-line communities, National Team and qualified MLS coaches, national soccer administrators and Hall of Famers. In total, more than 200 individuals are eligible to vote in the 2008 election. To be eligible for the National Soccer Hall of Fame, a player must be retired for three years and must have either played at least 20 full international games for the United States or played at least five seasons in an American first-division professional league in addition to meeting several other requirements. |
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