Speakers Bio

Julie Foudy has become a household name around the globe as being one of the best female soccer players in the world. Best known as the current co-captain and 17-year veteran of the U.S. Women's National Team, she won the Gold Medal in the 2004 and 1996 Olympic Games, and Silver Medal in the 2000 Olympic Games. She was one of the founding players of the first-ever Women's Professional Soccer league, the WUSA. Within that league, she played midfield for the San Diego Spirit, where she reigned as captain. She is also a voting player representative on the WUSA Board of Governors.



Foudy attended Stanford University where she earned a degree in Biology and was a four-year varsity soccer star and a four-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-American. She was named 1991 Soccer America Player of the Year and the 1989 Soccer America Freshman of the Year, a Hermann Trophy finalist in 1991 and 1992, named the team's MVP for three consecutive years; 1989-1991 and won Stanford's Outstanding Athlete Award for her freshman, sophomore & junior years. Her four-year stint at Stanford earned her the title of Los Angeles Times Soccer Player of the Decade with a resume of 52 goals, 32 assists and a total of 136 points.



Foudy debuted with the national team in 1987 at the sweet age of 16. She played with the USA when they captured the 1991 inaugural FIFA Women's World Championship in China, playing every minute of the game. She was also a member of the 1999 team that captured the 1999 FIFA World Championship in the U.S. Foudy then went on to co-captain the team that won the 2000 Algarve Cup.



On a personal note, Foudy married Ian Sawyers in July 1995 and they reside in Orange County, CA. She is an active voice in building gender equality in sports as well as combating teen smoking abuse. She is the past President of the Women's Sports Foundation and was most recently named one of the "Most Powerful People" in sports from The Sporting News. She is also the spokesperson for Uniroyal Tire and works with the company in their efforts to support youth soccer around the country.