INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA has selected its six former college athletes that will receive the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in recognition of their collegiate and professional achievements. The Silver Anniversary Award annually recognizes distinguished individuals on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their college athletics careers. Notre Dame women’s soccer alumna Kate Markgraf is among the six distinguished individuals.
Joining Markgraf for the January celebration in San Antonio are Phil Dawson, Allison Feaster, Dr. Marsha Harris, Lenny Krayzelburg and Peyton Manning. Representatives of NCAA member schools and conferences, along with a panel of former student-athletes, select each year’s recipients.
Kate Markgraf
School: University of Notre Dame
Major: Science-Business
Sport: Soccer
Three-time United Soccer Coaches All-American Kate Sobrero Markgraf was a member of the 1995 NCAA Division I women’s soccer championship team, capturing the honor of defensive MVP. Markgraf was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 1997 and had three career All-Big East selections. A two-time National Women’s Soccer Player of the Year finalist, she started all 96 games of her career, tallying seven goals and 24 assists.
After graduation, Markgraf continued her soccer career professionally with the Boston Breakers and Chicago Red Stars, as well as the U.S. Women’s National Team. A member of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship team, she also earned gold medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Markgraf played professionally for 12 years, representing Team USA 201 times, and became the 10th woman in FIFA history to appear 200 times in international competition.
After retirement, Markgraf earned master’s degrees in kinesiology and educational psychology. She worked as a counselor at Cardinal Stritch University and as a broadcaster with ESPN. Markgraf’s research has been published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology.
In August 2019, Markgraf became the first general manager of the U.S. women’s national team and has helped hire staff, for the women’s national teams at all ages, develop future talent and support in the team’s fight for equal pay.
As a volunteer, she has served as an assistant coach at Marquette, Harvard, Texas and Notre Dame and with youth teams in Milwaukee. Between 2012-2014, Markgraf traveled to Ethiopia, Chile and Peru with the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Soccer to work with youth. A member of the board of directors of Notre Dame’s Monogram Club since 2009, she has organized community service opportunities for its members and currently serves as president.
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