One of the goalscoring stars of the United States team that won the first Women’s World Cup in 1991.
Carin Jennings, who later married former U.S. men’s national team player Jim Gabarra, scored six goals in the United States’ six games, including three in the semifinal victory over Germany, and was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. She was part of the American team’s “Triple-Edged Sword” in the tournament, along with Michelle Akers and April Heinrichs. That year, she set a national-team record for assists in one season with 21, a record that lasted until 2004.
Gabarra made her debut in the national team against Norway in July 1987. She continued in the national team after her starring performance in 1991, but sometimes in a lesser role. In 1995, she again played in all of the United States’ games at the Women’s World Cup. At the 1996 Olympic Games, where she made her last appearances in the national team, she played in four of the United States’ five games, all as a substitute. When she retired from the national team, she had 119 full international appearances and 56 goals, ranking her third of all time in caps and tied for third in goals.
Gabarra, who played college soccer at UC-Santa Barbara, became women’s soccer coach at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1993.
Inducted in 2000.
