By Anonymous (not verified), December 3, 2023
From the National Soccer Hall of Fame
National Soccer Hall of Fame Announces the Four Members of Its 2024 Class
USMNT’S Howard Elected in First Year of Eligibility, Will Join Paralympian McKinney, USWNT’s Venturini-Hoch and USL Founder Marcos at May 4 Induction
FRISCO, Texas (Dec. 2, 2023) — The National Soccer Hall of Fame today announced that the four members of its 2024 class are Tim Howard, Francisco Marcos, Josh McKinney and Tisha Venturini-Hoch.
Howard and McKinney were elected from the Player Ballot. Marcos was elected from the Builder Ballot, and Venturini-Hoch was elected from the Veteran Ballot. Howard was elected in his first year of eligibility, and McKinney is the first member of the Extended National Teams to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
A goalkeeper who starred in both the U.S. National Team and the English Premier League for nearly two decades, Howard played 121 full internationals for the United States between 2002 and 2017, including 39 World Cup qualifiers in nine different years and eight games at the World Cup in 2010 and 2014. After playing for the MetroStars in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2003, he played 13 seasons in the English Premier League, three for Manchester United and 10 for Everton. He returned to MLS in 2016 and played with the Colorado Rapids until 2019, then retired after playing with Memphis 901 in the 2020 USL season.
NBC Sports studio host Rebecca Lowe surprised Howard with the news of his election during the broadcast of their pregame coverage of the English Premier League match between Everton and Nottingham Forest.
McKinney, who was born with cerebral palsy, was a captain of the U.S. National 7-a-side Paralympic Team who retired after 124 caps and 81 goals over 19 years, including appearances at three Paralympics (1996, 2004 and 2012). He captained the team 72 times, and as a 17-year-old in 1996, he scored a team-high five goals to lead the U.S. to a best-ever fourth-place finish at the Paralympic Games in Atlanta.
Chris Ahrens, a former teammate of McKinney’s with the U.S. team, surprised McKinney with the news of his election during the NCFC Youth Showcase Series at WRAL Soccer Center in Raleigh, N.C., where McKinney is a coach in the NCFC Youth program.
A midfielder who played in two World Cups for the United States, Venturini-Hoch played 132 full internationals between 1992 and 2000. A member of the U.S. team that won the World Cup in 1999, she played in two games — including the final — and scored twice. She also played all six games at the 1995 World Cup and all five games at the 1996 Olympic Games. She played three seasons in the Women’s United Soccer Association, winning one title, as well as one season each in the W-League and the Women’s Premier Soccer League.
Hall of Famer Mia Hamm (2007), who played with Venturini-Hoch at the University of North Carolina and with the U.S. team, announced Venturini-Hoch’s election on the field at the Newport Harbor High School girls’ match in Newport Beach, Calif. Venturini-Hoch is an assistant coach at Newport Harbor.
Marcos was the longtime leader of the United Soccer Leagues, the umbrella organization of lower-division soccer in the U.S.* An official of several North American Soccer League teams, he founded the USL in 1987 as the Southwest Indoor Soccer League and led its growth through a series of phases over several decades. He also has been commissioner of the A-League and a vice president of the U.S. Soccer Federation. He won the USSF’s Werner Fricker Builder Award in 2007.
Hall of Famer Al Miller (1995), who coached Marcos at Hartwick College, broke the news of his election during a video conference call set up by officials at the school.
For the Player Ballot, election procedures call for the two Players named on the most ballots (and on at least 50 percent of the ballots) to be elected. A third Player also can be elected by being named on at least 75 percent of the ballots.
The 20 Player finalists received the following number of votes from the 48-member Player Voting Committee: Howard (46, 95.8%), McKinney (35, 72.9%), Lori Chalupny (34, 70.8%), Kyle Beckerman (25, 52.1%), Nick Rimando (23, 47.9%), Cat Reddick Whitehill (22, 45.8%), Dwayne DeRosario (21, 43.8%), Oguchi Onyewu (14, 29.2%)
Robbie Keane (13, 27.1%), Jermaine Jones (11, 22.9%), Chris Ahrens (10, 20.8%), Keith Johnson (9, 18.8%), Shalrie Joseph (9, 18.8%), Lori Lindsey (9, 18.8%), Eddie Johnson (8, 16.7%), Maurice Edu (7, 14.6%), Stuart Holden (6, 12.5%), Thierry Henry (5, 10.4%), Carlos Ruiz (3, 6.3%) and Jonathan Spector (2, 4.2%).
For the Veteran Ballot, election procedures call for the Veteran named on the most ballots (and on at least 50 percent of the ballots) to be elected. A second Veteran also can be elected by being named on at least 75 percent of the ballots.
The 10 Veteran finalists received the following number of votes from the 24-member Veteran Voting Committee: Venturini-Hoch (17, 70.8%), Chris Armas (17, 70.8%), Mary Harvey (16, 66.7%), Clint Mathis (16, 66.7%), Tony Sanneh (16, 66.7%), Eddie Lewis (7, 29.2%), Aly Wagner (6, 25%), Chico Borja (5, 20.8%), Lori Henry (3, 12.5%) and Sean Bowers (none). Venturini-Hoch won the tiebreaker with Armas by virtue of receiving more preliminary ballot screening points.
For the Builder Ballot, the 2024 rotation considered only candidates categorized as contributors, excluding coaches and referees. Election procedures call for the Builder named to the most ballots (and on at least 50 percent of the ballots) to be elected.
The four Builder finalists received the following number of votes from the 24-member Builder Voting Committee: Marcos (17, 70.8%), William Cox (10, 41.7%), Mark Abbott (9, 37.5%) and Clark Hunt (7, 29.2%).
Full 2024 voting results and complete information about election and eligibility procedures are available at NationalSoccerHOF.com. The election process is administered by National Soccer Hall of Fame staff under election and eligibility guidelines established by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
About the National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium opened to the public in Frisco, Texas, on Nov. 2, 2018, after calling Oneonta, N.Y., its home from 1983 through 2010. The Hall of Fame marries artifacts — including all four FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophies won by the U.S. National Team — with technology such as facial recognition powered by NEC and virtual reality to deliver the most personalized experience in sports.� �
Established in 1950, the NSHOF is dedicated to growing the sport of soccer in America by celebrating its history, preserving its legacy, inspiring its youth and honoring its heroes for generations to come. The National Soccer Hall of Fame is powered by NEC and additionally sponsored by Major League Soccer, Heineken, Pepsi, Gallagher
*Editor's Note: The USL is not the umbrella organization for lower level soccer.