LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Mary Abigail Wambach upon the occasion
of her designation as recipient of the Liberty Medal, the highest honor
bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made signif-
icant contributions to the quality of life therein; and
WHEREAS, From time to time, this Legislative Body takes note of
certain extraordinary individuals it wishes to recognize for their
valued contributions to the success and progress of society and publicly
acknowledge their endeavors which have enhanced the basic humanity among
us all; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Mary Abigail
Wambach upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of the Liberty
Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York
State Senate; and
WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by
resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special
commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of
their fellow New Yorkers; and
WHEREAS, A native of Pittsford, New York, Mary Abigail Wambach, affec-
tionately known as Abby, was the youngest of seven children born to Pete
and Judy Wambach; she began playing soccer at the young age of four, and
often competed against boys' teams in the Rochester area; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from Our Lady of Mercy High School, Abby
Wambach attended the University of Florida, where she was named All-
Southeastern Conference four times, Conference Player of the Year twice,
and a three-time All-American; she also set numerous school records and
lead her team to its first NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship;
and
WHEREAS, In 2001, Abby Wambach joined the United States Women's
National Team, making her debut at the Nike U.S. Women's Cup; the
following year, she recorded her first international goal during a
friendly match against Finland in San Jose, California; and
WHEREAS, Abby Wambach was selected by the Washington Freedom as the
second overall pick in the 2002 Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
draft; during the 2003 season, she, along with her teammate Mia Hamm,
helped their team capture the WUSA title by together scoring a remark-
able 66 points; and
WHEREAS, As a member of the United States Women's National Team in
2003, Abby Wambach started nine games, including all five Federation
Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women's World Cup matches;
for her efforts, she was named U.S. Soccer's Female Athlete of the Year,
an award she would also capture in 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2013; and
WHEREAS, During the 2004 season, Abby Wambach scored 31 goals in 30
matches, making her only the fourth U.S. player to record double figures
in goals and assists in a calendar year; and
WHEREAS, After recovering from a serious leg injury, Abby Wambach
scored her 100th goal on July 19, 2009, in a match against Canada; two
years later, she became the all-time leading American scorer in Women's
World Cup history, recording her 13th World Cup goal as the United
States faced Japan in the 2011 final; and
WHEREAS, One of the most talented forwards in her sport, Abby
Wambach's outstanding efforts were instrumental in helping the U.S.
Women's National Team earn two Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2012; and
WHEREAS, The recipient of numerous awards and honors, Abby Wambach was
named the 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year, becoming the first Ameri-

can woman to win the award in ten years; she also became the first indi-
vidual soccer player to win the Associated Press's Athlete of the Year
Award and was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People;
and
WHEREAS, Abby Wambach officially announced her retirement in October
of 2015, and will play her last game on December 16, 2015, in New Orle-
ans, when the United States plays the final match of its 10-game tour
following their victory at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup; and
WHEREAS, Sports competition instills the values of teamwork, pride and
accomplishment, and Abby Wambach has clearly made a contribution to the
spirit of excellence which is a tradition of our nation and the great
State of New York; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when excep-
tional athletes of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to
our attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citi-
zens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Mary Abigail Wambach upon the occasion of her designation as
recipient of the Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an indi-
vidual by the New York State Senate; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted Mary Abigail Wambach.