Abby Wambach to Speak at Penn State in April

The all-time leading international goal scorer is coming to Penn State. U.S. National Team star and World Cup champion Abby Wambach will speak at 8 p.m.on April 6 in Eisenhower Auditorium as a part of the Student Programming Association’s Distinguished Speakers Series.

Wambach’s soccer career started with her youth career in Rochester, New York before moving on to the University of Florida. There, she won four SEC Championships and led the Gators to their first-ever National Championship in 1998. She spent the rest of her professional career playing in three women’s leagues in the United States as one would fold and another would be created.

Her most notable exploits came on the international stage. Wambach made her World Cup debut in 2003 and led the U.S. squad with three goals in the tournament. The U.S. earned third place that year, then she followed it up with an Olympic Gold-winning header in the 112th minute of the 2004 finals. Wambach and the U.S. earned third place at the 2007 World Cup but she was absent with an injury when they won gold at the 2008 Olympics.

Wambach won another Olympic Gold Medal in 2012 then played her last international game in 2015 as she finally won the World Cup.

Since retiring from playing soccer, Wambach is an ambassador for Right to Play and the United States Agency for International Development. Wambach is also a public speaker sponsored by Direct Sports Link.

Tickets are free for students and can be picked up on Wednesday, March 23 while non-students can get tickets on March 30. Tickets are available at the HUB ticket desk, the Bryce Jordan Center, the Downtown Theater, and Eisenhower Auditorium.