#11 Michele Weissenhofer 2008-09 Women's Soccer Roster

Four-year monogram winner … electrifying forward who added another dimension to the team[apos]s attack due to her speed, a deadly accurate left-footed shot and a powerful flip throw … feisty and tough competitor who continually battled through harassing defenses … packed plenty of strength – and deceptive bursts of speed – into her sturdy and compact frame … was able to locate her flip-throw to the back post with regularity, registering seven career assists directly off the long throws and creating numerous other scoring chances … also delivered goals from toughest angles … one of 18 Illinois natives to play for Notre Dame though the 2009 season … chosen in the fourth round (33rd overall pick) of 2010 Women[apos]s Professional Soccer (WPS) Draft by her hometown Chicago Red Stars.

IN ND RECORD BOOK: Shares Irish record for games played in a season (27) … one of 25 players in program history with 20 goals and 20 assists in her career (two assists shy of becoming 13th Irish player to join 30-30 club) … tied for 25th in school history with 92 games played … holds school record with seven career postseason gamewinning goals, as well as six career first goals in postseason … also ranks in top 10 on program[apos]s all-time postseason lists in numerous categories including points (31 – 10th), goals (12 – 8th) and gamewinning points (16 – 2nd) … totaled 53 points in 2006 (18 goals, 17 assists), tying for 14th on ND season points list (sixth-most goals ever by ND freshman) … only four Irish freshmen have posted more points: Kerri Hanks (71, [apos]05), Jenny Streiffer (66, [apos]96), Anne Makinen (58, [apos]97) and Meotis Erikson (56, [apos]97) … joined Streiffer (22G-22A) as only Irish freshmen ever to reach 17G-17A (six others were double-digits in goals/assists as freshmen) … scored (5) or assisted (6) on 11 gamewinning goals in [apos]06 (ninth on Irish season GWG list; also ninth with 16 GW pts) … sixth ND player to score hat trick in NCAAs (quarterfinal vs. #8 Penn State), joining Shannon Boxx ([apos]95; 2nd rd vs. #17 Wisconsin) and Jenny Heft ([apos]96; 1st rd vs. #17 Indiana) as only ones to do so as freshmen … Heft ([apos]97 quarterfinal vs. UCLA) is only other with hat trick in NCAA quarters or later … posted 11th ND hat trick versus top-25 opponent (at any point in season; second since [apos]98) … only three previous ND players have registered hat tricks versus higher-ranked teams: Katie Thorlakson (vs. #4 Santa Clara, [apos]98), Makinen (vs. #4 UConn, [apos]97) and Rosella Guerrero (vs. #5 N.C. State, [apos]92) … posted seventh-highest point total (16; 7G-2A; also fifth-most goals) ever by an ND player in one postseason (Hanks and Makinen are only freshmen with more, both 19) … her goal vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee (4:37; [apos]06 2nd round) is still seventh-fastest ever by ND player in NCAAs … joined Hanks (66) as fourth pair of ND teammates with 50-plus points in same season.

AS A SENIOR: One of three team captains for the Irish along with classmate Courtney Rosen and Jessica Schuveiller, helping lead Notre Dame to its fourth consecutive College Cup berth, tying the run made by the Irish teams from 1994-97 … was never completely healthy during her final season, a result of a preseason leg injury … still managed to appear in 14 games, making eight starts … collected one assist while taking 22 shots (seven on goal) … after missing first three games of the season, started next three against #1 North Carolina (0-6), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (3-0) and at Santa Clara (0-2) … aggravated leg injury in SCU contest and was sidelined for next month … made successful return to action (and starting lineup) against Connecticut, playing 37 minutes and assisting on Erica Iantorno[apos]s goal in the 81st minute … started but played limited minutes in final three games of the regular season against Providence (2-0), Villanova (2-0) and #rv/22 Georgetown (2-0) … rested through BIG EAST quarterfinal versus South Florida (5-0) before returning to action as a substitute for conference semifinal against St. John[apos]s (2-1, ot) and title game against #rv/10 Marquette (2-1) … started NCAA Tournament opener against IUPUI (5-0) … moved to top reserve role for remaining four games of the NCAA Tournament … had season-best three shots on goal in second-round triumph over Central Michigan (6-1) … played season-high 65 minutes in third-round win over Oregon State (1-0) … took season-best five total shots in quarterfinals at #6 Florida State (2-0).

AS A JUNIOR: Played in all 27 games, including 14 starts … scored four goals and added seven assists for 15 points … her 15 points were fifth-most on the team … two of her four goals were game-winning tallies … scored the first (and game winning) goal in Notre Dame[apos]s season opening 7-0 win versus Michigan … netted her next goal in Notre Dame[apos]s 3-1 win at #16 Penn State … notched assists in wins over Cincinnati (6-0), Marquette (3-1) and Providence (5-0) … registered her final eight points of the season when she put together a five-game scoring streak that helped the Irish to the 2008 College Cup … the streak began with a goal against Seton Hall in the regular season finale (6-0) … had two assists in the BIG EAST quarterfinal win over Cincinnati (5-0), and also forced UC into two own-goals with her powerful flip-throw … scored the gamewinner in Notre Dame[apos]s BIG EAST semifinal win over Marquette (2-0) … in the BIG EAST championship game, had her most important assist of the season on Melissa Henderson[apos]s gamewinning goal that helped the Irish to the conference crown with a 1-0 overtime win over Connecticut … earning the assist on Henderson[apos]s winning tally when her initial shot from the top of the penalty area was stopped by Connecticut goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe, but the rebound squirted towards the goal line and Henderson pounced on the loose ball, poking it home from two yards out … it was the first postseason ‘golden goal’ for Notre Dame since Nov. 2, 2003 against Miami (Fla.) in the BIG EAST quarterfinals, when Amanda Guertin scored 2:54 into overtime to give the Irish a 2-1 victory.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Scored eight goals and added three assists for 19 points … third on team in goals, points, shots (42) and shots on goal (20) … played in 24 games for the Irish, starting 19 … scored gamewinning goals at #4 North Carolina (NCAA round-of-16) and Illinois (NCAA second round), giving her a school-record six career postseason goals … scored pair of goals to cap win over Cincinnati, with a strong leftfooted shot from outside upper right corner of the box and the other coming on a breakaway set up by Carrie Dew[apos]s lead pass … also had one goal and one assist (on a flip-throw) in Notre Dame[apos]s 4-2 win over Princeton … named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week for her performance against Princeton … went on to have huge game in the NCAA-round-of-16 win at UNC (3-2), with rightside flip-throw assist on header goal by Brittany Bock before scoring her own goal 14 seconds later (for fastest back-to-back goals in NCAA Tournament history) … also scored in NCAA quarterfinal versus Duke, giving her a three-game scoring streak versus Illinois, UNC and Duke (four goals, one assist).

AS A FRESHMAN: Named Soccer America national freshman of the year, after finishing behind only Hanks among the national leaders in points (53) and assists (17; also sixth in goals with 18) … tied Notre Dame record for games played (27, with 23 starts) … scored (5) or assisted (6) on 11 game-winning goals (team-best 16 gamewinning points) … enjoyed one of the most productive postseasons in Notre Dame history (especially for a freshman; see record-book notes), after totaling 16 points (7G-2A) in nine postseason games … became first Irish player ever to total four GWGs in one postseason while posting just the sixth hat trick ever by an ND player in the NCAAs (vs. #8 Penn State, in 4-0 quarterfinal) … named BIG EAST rookie of the year while becoming 10th Notre Dame freshman ever named first team all-BIG EAST … joined Streiffer (22G-22A, in [apos]96) as only Irish players ever to reach 17G-17A in their freshman seasons (her 18 goals are 6th-most ever by an ND freshman) … sixth Irish player (third freshman) ever to factor into four-plus goals of season opener, with 2G-2A in 9-0 win over Iowa State … her six-point game versus ISU included a rightside corner-kick assist (header by Jill Krivacek), a ball played into right side of box (goal by Hanks), her first career goal (cashed in a turnover) and a 20-yard shot inside the farright post … had points in first five games, after adding: a leftside flip-throw assist on GWG at No. 24 Mississippi (2-1; Krivacek flicked to Hanks); two more flip-throw assists in 2-0 win over No. 19 USC (header goals by Clark and Amanda Cinalli); a running cross from right side to set up Cinalli[apos]s far-post header (2-1) against fellow No. 1 Santa Clara (3-1); and primary assists on header goals by Krivacek and Bock (off free kick) in 2-0 win at TCU … named to Inn at Saint Mary[apos]s Classic all-tournament team following wins over USC and SCU … had 2G-1A in 5-0 road win over her hometown team DePaul (passed up open shot to find Hanks streaking down far-left side for 1-0 lead; scored on spin move and far-post shot; scored again on Bock[apos]s shot knocked down by [apos]keeper) … opened scoring at Michigan after shifting ball to her right and sending 18-yard shot into far-right side (added cross on Cinalli[apos]s one-timer that capped 2-0 win) … named to BIG EAST weekly honor roll after wins over ISU and Mississippi and again after the wins over DePaul and Michigan (when she also was named national player of the week, per Top Drawer Soccer) … her rightside free kick set up Carrie Dew[apos]s opening goal versus Louisville (2-0) … scored 49th-minute goal that tied game with 6th-ranked West Virginia (1-1), after running onto Bock[apos]s flick and scoring inside near-right post (her point-blank shot later was put back into net by Cinalli for 87th-minute clincher, 3-1) … scored twice in 5-0 win over Pittsburgh before pushing her point streak to six games with 1G- 1A against Seton Hall (5-0; one-timer via Hanks[apos] right-flank cross and pass on Buczkowski[apos]s goal) … earned national player-of-the-week honors from Soccer America and Top Drawer Soccer, following 3G-1A weekend versus WVU (also BIG EAST player of the week) … picked up assist at Providence (5-0) before assisting twice in 4-2 battle at ninth-ranked Villanova – on shot that produced a Hanks rebound goal (2-1) and a drop pass to Rosen (3-1) … broke through back line to cap 3-0 win at Cincinnati … her 2G-2A in the BIG EAST Tournament included: a flip-throw in the 3-0 quarterfinal with St. John[apos]s (Bock scored on flick header); the 64th-minute goal versus 25th-ranked Marquette in 2-0 semifinal (elongated give-and-go with Hanks; far-post flick header from leftside cross); the final pass that led to Bock[apos]s 88th-minute clincher in that game; and the decisive third goal in the title game with #17 Rutgers (4-2; leftfooted strike to far-left side) … scored to cap NCAA openinground win over Oakland (7-1) before scoring more important goal two days later in 1-0 win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee … ran onto through-ball from Hanks on left side and struck off-foot shot, from the outside of her right foot and into far-right side of the net (4:37; team[apos]s third-quickest goal in [apos]06 and fifth-quickest NCAA goal in ND history) … scored natural hat trick over 12-minute span in second half of 4-0 quarterfinal win over eighth-ranked Penn State.

ODP/CLUB HIGHLIGHTS: Member of Olympic Development Program Region II player pool from 2002-06, playing for ODP Region II team in 2003 … played for Illinois state ODP team from 2001-06, teaming with Amanda Clark and Bock on Illinois team that reached 2005 ODP national semifinals … played internationally with ODP team in 2004 … competed alongside future Notre Dame classmates Clark and Rosen at 2006 U-19 regional event (Home Depot Center) … her Eclipse team went 1-1-1 in semifinal roundrobin at 2005 U-17 nationals (Orlando/Disney Complex) … Eclipse won rematch with PDA in 2005 national title game (3-1) … earlier helped win U-16 national title in 2004 (beating Slammers in final), after winning regional final over Carmel in double-OT (Eclipse also reached [apos]03 regional final) … scored in first two games at 2006 U-18 nationals (Des Moines, Iowa) while facing two fellow ND signees, defender Haley Ford (3-3 vs. Dallas Texans) and [apos]keeper Kelsey Lysander (2-0 vs. San Diego Surf) … two other Eclipse teams (u-15, u-17) won [apos]06 national titles … returned with Eclipse to regionals in 2007 (U-19s; Frisco, Texas), opening with 7-0 win over Dakota Impact (S.D.) before 2-1 loss to St. Louis SC, 7-0 win over Tsunami Sota (Minn.) and 2-1 semifinal loss to Cyclones … member of Eclipse team that won 2004 WAGS and Raleigh tournaments and 2005 Disney Showcase ([apos]06 finalist, behind Ford[apos]s Texans team) … member of state cup club champions every year from 1998-2006.

WITH U.S. NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAMS: Attended her first United States youth national-team camps of any kind during early 2007 (Jan.-Feb., with Under-21 team; at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.) … joined ND teammates Cinalli, Hanks and Bock on U.S. U-21 team that played over spring break in Manchester, England (March 13-15, 2007), versus Blackburn Rovers Ladies (2-0), Everton Ladies (6-2) and Leeds Ladies (5-0), also attending a Manchester United game at Old Trafford … scored in game versus Leeds Ladies … also attended a U-20 National Team camp in Maryland (June 2007) and was set to accompany that team to the Pan-Am Games, but was slowed by sprained ankle … ended up joining Cinalli on 18-player U.S. U-21 National Team that won the 2007 Nordic Cup while facing European U-23 squads … Notre Dame was one of five teams with multiple players on [apos]07 Nordic Cup squad … one of youngest players on that team (two other rising sophomores) … the U.S. opened with 1-0 wins over Norway and Sweden before topping Germany in the gold-medal game (4-0) … headed in a cross from Sarah Huffman to cap that clinching Nordic Cup win … one of five current or former Irish players in the U.S. U-23 National Team player pool (through July 2010), along with Henderson, Schuveiller, Lauren Fowlkes and Elise Weber.

PREP & PERSONAL: Youth All-American who played three seasons at Neuqua Valley High School before focusing on club soccer with Eclipse … teamed with Bock and Clark on NVHS team that capped 2005 state-title season (27-2-1) with comeback against two-time champ New Trier, erasing 3-0 halftime deficit (6-3) … her three goals in that game set Illinois state tournament record (her 6G in 3 GP tied that tournament record) … led 2005 team with 26 goals, including hat trick versus St. Charles East … earned 2004 youth All-America honors from National Soccer Coaches Association of America … also named EA Sports All-American and all-state for both 2004 (team MVP) and [apos]05 … helped NVHS reach 2003 state quarterfinals (lost to New Trier) before losing to Naperville North in 2004 super sectionals … point guard on NVHS varsity basketball team as a freshman … member of student council … competed in gymnastics as a youth, which helped in later developing her flip throw-in … uncle Ron ([apos]87) was a top linebacker with the Notre Dame football team in the mid-1980s … father Randy played football at North Central College (Naperville, Ill.) while mother Kathy was a cheerleader and softball player at NCC … daughter of Randy and Kathy Weissenhofer … full name is Michele Lynn Weissenhofer … born Aug, 18, 1987, in Naperville, Ill. … graduated in May 2010 from the Mendoza College of Business with her bachelor[apos]s degree in marketing … was a three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection, earning that honor in each of her final three years at Notre Dame (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10).

Weissenhofer[apos]s Career Statistics

Weissenhofer In the Post Season