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Yael Averbuch was a four-year starter for the legendary University of North Carolina (UNC) women’s soccer program where she started every game of her career, setting an all-time team record with 105 consecutive starts. Her UNC jersey will be retired in Spring, 09, joining such legends as Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly.
A two-year captain (07-08), Averbuch helped lead the Tar Heels to two NCAA National Championships (06,08). She made the All-Tournament team in both those years and was a vital part of ACC Championship teams all four years. Averbuch, a three-time college All-American, was the Soccer Buzz and Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Year (06), and a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist in 06. Her four-second, 55 yard goal, is the fastest scored in women’s college soccer history, and highly ranked on ESPN’s top ten Sports Highlights.
Averbuch’s U.S. National team experience includes various squads from Under-16 through the full team. She was a member of the U.S. team that placed third in the Under-19 World Championships in Thailand, (04), and is currently the team captain of the Under-23 team. She was awarded MVP in the Under-23 tournament winning final game in the prestigious Nordic Cup (08). She has two caps with full U.S. Women’s National Team.
Averbuch is the recipient of the Today’s Top VIII Award as a senior, the most prestigious honor awarded by the NCAA, given annually to eight student-athletes who excel athletically, academically and in leadership and community service. She is also the ESPN Academic All-American of the Year and NSCAA Scholar Athlete of the Year, both for 2008. She is also the recipient of the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary award, which includes a scholarship for continuing studies.
The first-ever ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, (07), Averbuch maintains a 3.71 GPA with a major in psychology. Active in community outreach programs, she is a member of the Carolina Leadership Academy’s Veteran Leaders program and has been presented its highest honor, the Three-Dimensional Leader Award. Averbuch received the Marty Glickman Scholar-Athlete Award given by the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2006 and 2009.
Following the completion of her college soccer eligibility, Averbuch was drafted in the first round to Sky Blue FC, the New Jersey/New York team of Women’s Professional Soccer.
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