Sports Envoy
Sports Envoy Program

Adam Christ

Baseball

Served as envoy

  • 2008  –  China

Adam Christ’s baseball career began at Des Moines Area Community College where he was a two-time all-conference selection from 1998 to 2000. In 2000, Christ played shortstop at Iowa State shortly before being recruited by the Cyclones. Playing infielder at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Christ went on to earn his BS in Kinesiology in 2003 from Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 2008, Christ earned his MS in Athletic Administration from Minnesota State University, where he became Assistant Coach in 2009. After three years, Christ was promoted in 2012 to the position of Assistant Head Coach at the University, a position he remained in for four years. Since leaving Minnesota State in 2015, Christ has worked as the Assistant Coach at the University of Illinois.

Barry Larkin

Baseball

Served as envoy

  • 2008  –  Colombia
  • 2010  –  Ecuador
  • 2011  –  India
  • 2012  –  Lithuania
  • 2013  –  South Africa
  • 2015  –  Taiwan

Barry Larkin a 19-year Major Leaguer, 12-time National League All-Star, 1995 N.L. Most Valuable Player and MLB Network studio analyst, spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds. Larkin served as Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Washington Nationals, specializing in player development and scouting. Larkin also participated in Major League Baseball’s efforts, led by Jim Lefebvre, to develop and train the Chinese National Baseball Team in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Larkin was selected by the Reds in the first round (fourth overall) in 1985 following a standout career at the University of Michigan. Larkin batted .353 in the 1990 World Series to help lead the Reds to a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics. He won three consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Awards from 1994-96. He earned 1995 N.L. MVP honors by hitting .319 with 15 home runs, 66 RBI and 51 stolen bases. In 1996, Larkin became the first Major League shortstop to join the 30-30 club when he hit 33 home runs and stole 36 bases. Larkin was named the Reds’ captain before the 1997 season.

Larkin batted .295, with 2,340 hits, 198 home runs, 960 RBI, 1,329 runs scored and 379 stolen bases. Baseball historian Bill James has called Larkin one of the greatest shortstops of all time, ranking him #6 all-time in his New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.

In 1993 Larkin won the Roberto Clemente Award, Major League Baseball’s highest off-field honor, for his philanthropy. In 2008, Larkin released a charity wine called “Barry Larkin’s Merlot,” with 100% of his proceeds supporting Champions Sports Foundation.

Elias Sosa

Baseball

Served as envoy

  • 2008  –  Nicaragua
  • 2008  –  Panama

Born in the baseball talent hotbed of the Dominican Republic, Elias began playing baseball early in life which led to him being signed by a Major League team. Making his major league debut in 1972 at the age of 22, Elias played for 8 Major League teams during the course of his 12 year professional career. In 1973 he finished tied for 3rdfor the Rookie of the Year award finishing with 10 total wins for the season. Upon his retirement from baseball Elias still remains very active in the baseball community in the Dominican Republic. Since 2001 he has worked for Major League Baseball International working to develop baseball programs within various Latin American countries.

Cal Ripken, Jr.

Baseball

Served as envoy

  • 2007  –  China
  • 2008  –  Nicaragua
  • 2011  –  Japan
  • 2018  –  Czech Republic
  • 2021  –  Japan

Cal Ripken Jr. is baseball’s all-time Iron Man. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the second round of the 1978 MLB draft, remaining with the team for 21 seasons in which during his time, was managed by his father and played alongside his brother Billy Ripken

His name appears in the record books repeatedly, most notably as one of only ten players in history to achieve 400 home runs and 3,000 hits. One of his position’s most offensively productive players, Ripken compiled 3,184 hits, 431 home runs, and 1,695 runs batted in during his career. Won two Gold Glove Awards for his defense and was a 19-time All-Star. In 1995, Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s Major League record for consecutive games played (2,130) and in 1996 he surpassed Sachio Kinugasa’s streak of 2,215 straight games and voluntarily ended his streak on September 20, 1998 after playing 2,632 consecutive games.

On July 29, 2007 he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Cal received the 4th highest percentage of votes in history, collecting the second highest vote total ever (98%) by the BBWAA.

In 2001, he and his family established the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in memory of the family’s patriarch. The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, using sports-themed programs to bring police officers, youth partners and underserved kids ages 9 to 14 together on a level playing field to learn invaluable life skills. In addition, the Ripken Foundation’s Youth Development Park Initiative creates clean, safe places for kids to play on multi-purpose, synthetic surface fields that promote healthy living in an outdoor recreational facility. Over the last nine years, the Ripken Foundation has created 88 completed parks across the country in 23 states, 17 of which are Adaptive Fields for children with special needs. In 2018, the Ripken Foundation impacted over 1.5 million kids nationwide through its Youth Development Park and mentoring programs.

Dennis Martinez

Baseball

Served as envoy

  • 2008  –  Nicaragua

Born in Granada, Nicaragua and nicknamed El Presidente, Dennis is the youngest of seven siblings, all of whom were also born in Nicaragua. From an early age, Dennis excelled in the sport of baseball, having one of his most impressive performances against the United States during the World Amateur Baseball World Series. Even though Nicaragua eventually lost the game, Dennis pitched a brilliant 10 inning game at just 17 years old. Dennis spent 23 years in the Majors playing for 5 different teams and was a 4 time All-Star. He also won the ERA title in 1991. Dennis finished his Major League career totaling 245 wins in both the American and National League, the most by any Latin American pitcher. Dennis still remains very active in progressing the sport of baseball amongst the youth population. In his home country, a new stadium opened in Managua in October 2017. It was named Dennis Martinez Stadium in his honor.

Jay Miller

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2008  –  Morocco
  • 2009  –  Bolivia
  • 2010  –  Thailand

Coach Miller is the Executive Director of Coaching for the Atlanta Fire United Soccer Association, a club with over 4,000 members. He also serves as the head coach of the Region III boys Olympic Development Program (ODP)
Coach Miller was the head soccer coach at the University of Tampa, where he won six consecutive conference titles and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II National Championship in 1981. He also coached the University of South Florida Men’s Program to four conference titles.

Coach Miller has over 20 years of international coaching, training and scouting experience, including the position of the USA Under-17 National Team Coach, USA U-23 National Team Coach and the interim coach of the full USA National World Cup team.

He has served as the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National Coaching Coordinator 1994-2001 and has been instructing on the National Staff since 1978. Coach Miller holds a USSF National “A” Coaching License.

Jay earned a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Education from East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

Cindy Parlow Cone

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2006  –  Bahrain
  • 2008  –  El Salvador
  • 2010  –  Azerbaijan

Current: Currently President of United States Soccer Federation. Prior to this, Parlow Cone served as Vice President for a year before being inducted as President. She was also inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018.

U.S. National Team: One of the greatest scorers in U.S. history, she retired from international soccer in 2006 after having played 158 times for the USA while scoring 75 goals, good for fifth all-time on the U.S. scoring list … Also had 31 assists in her nine-year National Team career … Youngest player ever to win both an Olympic gold medal and a Women’s World Cup title … Played in her final international match on Dec. 8, 2004, a 5-0 win over Mexico that was also the final game for Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett and Brandi Chastain … 2004: Played in two matches at the 2004 Olympics, starting one … Played in 24 total matches, starting 11 and scored 10 goals with eight assists, finishing third on the team in scoring behind Abby Wambach and Mia Hamm … Scored six of her 10 goals in two games, getting hat tricks against Haiti at the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament and against Ireland on the “Fan Celebration Tour” … Her two hat tricks gave her seven for her career, moving her past Michelle Akers and putting her in second place on the all-time hat tricks list, one behind Mia Hamm … 2003: Started 17 of the 19 games she played, scoring eight goals with one assist … Became just the fifth player in U.S. history to score 60 or more goals (there are now six) … Scored four goals against England on May 17 in Birmingham, Ala., it was her first-four goal game for the USA … Started five games during the Women’s World Cup, scoring two goals, both on headers, against Sweden and Nigeria … 2002: Scored 11 goals, second best on the team, in just 14 games, all of which she started … Scored twice in a big 4-0 win over Norway on April 27 … Scored six goals across four consecutive games, sandwiched by two-goal games on July 21 (a 4-0 win over Norway) and Oct. 2 (a 4-0 win over Australia) … Scored five goals in the 2002 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, including a hat trick in the 7-0 semi-final win over Costa Rica that earned the U.S. a berth in the 2003 Women’s World Cup … 2001: Played in three matches for the USA during a limited schedule, starting all three and scoring one goal, that against Germany in the only game of the 2001 Nike U.S. Women’s Cup … 2000: Had a breakout scoring year, leading the team with 19 goals and seven assists … Had four hat tricks, one short of a U.S. record for a calendar year … Had back-to-back hat tricks in the Pacific Cup on June 2 vs. Canada and June 4 vs. New Zealand, making her only the second U.S. player to ever score three goals in two consecutive games … Played in 31 games, but only started 15, scoring a goal for every 76 minutes on the field … Was one of just two players to come off the bench for the USA in their run to the silver medal in the 2000 Olympics … Played a total of 112 minutes across the five Olympic matches … 1999: Started all six games for the USA in the 1999 Women’s World Cup, scoring two goals with two assists, including the first goal against Brazil in the semifinal … Emerged as a starter for the USA in March of ’99 after finally overcoming a nagging hamstring injury … Also scored in the USA’s 7 1 win over Nigeria in Women’s World Cup first round play on a diving header … 1998: Saw limited action for the USA in 1998 due to senior year commitments to North Carolina, but played in 13 games, starting seven, and scored goals against world powers Norway and Germany … Was a member of the Goodwill Games gold medal-winning team during the summer of 1998 … Won U.S. Soccer’s first Chevy Young Female Athlete of the Year Award in 1998 … 1997: Scored the winning goal in the championship game of Nike U.S. Women’s Cup ’97, heading in a cross from Kristine Lilly in the 2 0 win over Italy … 1996: Was the youngest member of the gold medal-winning team at the 1996 Olympics at age 18 … Scored twice in her full U.S. National Team debut against Russia on Jan. 14, 1996, in Campinas, Brazil … 1995: First trained with the U.S. Women’s National Team in March 1995 … Youth National Teams: Played with the U.S. Under 20 National Team at the 1997 Nordic Cup championship in Denmark in 1997, scoring twice in the tournament to lead the USA to the championship … Also played for the U.S. Under 21s at the Nordic Cup in Holland in the summer of 1998, leading the team in scoring with two goals … Was also a member of the U 16 National Team pool … First Appearance: Jan. 14, 1996, vs. Russia … First Goal: Jan. 14, 1996, vs. Russia.

Professional / Club: A founding player in the WUSA for the Atlanta Beat … 2003: Helped the Beat to the Founders Cup championship match with a solid season that included three goals and five assists as she started 17 of the 18 games in which she played … Played mostly in the midfield for the Beat … Named as a reserve to the WUSA All-Star Team … 2002: Started 18 of the 19 games in which she played, scoring five goals with four assists … Helped the Beat to the playoffs for the second consecutive year … 2001: Helped lead the Beat to the WUSA championship game … Scored the game-winning goal in sudden death overtime against the Philadelphia Charge in the WUSA semifinals … Had five goals and seven assists for the Beat during the regular season, finishing 10th in the league in scoring … Was named to the All-WUSA Second Team … Etc.: Her Memphis Football Club won the state championship from 1990 1995 and finished second in the nation at the U 17 level in 1995 … Her club won regional championships in 1992 and 1995 … Named MVP at the 1995 Under 17 U.S. Youth Soccer national tournament.

College / High School: Ended her career for the University of North Carolina with 68 goals and 53 assists in 103 games … The consensus top player in college soccer in 1998, she won both the Hermann Trophy and the M.A.C. Player of the Year Award, joining Mia Hamm as the only two time winner of both awards … Also won the Hermann and M.A.C. after her junior year … Helped UNC to an undefeated regular season and to the NCAA championship game in 1998, leading the team in scoring with 21 goals and 11 assists … Led UNC in game winning goals with seven and was named 1998 ACC Player of the Year … Named a First Team NSCAA All American four times (1995, ’96, ’97 and ’98) … As a junior, she helped UNC to the 1997 NCAA championship, scoring 13 goals with 18 assists … Scored the game-winning goal in the final … Was a First Team All ACC selection in 1996, ’97 and ’98 and the MVP of the ACC Tournament in 1997 … Named to the NCAA All Tournament Team all four years … Overcame early season injuries to lead North Carolina to the 1996 NCAA championship as a sophomore … Scored 15 goals and had 11 assists for 41 points and was a finalist for the 1996 Hermann Trophy and M.A.C. Award … Was the Soccer America Freshman of the Year in 1995 … Voted All ACC and ACC Rookie of the Year as a freshman … Had 17 goals and 12 assists in her freshman year at UNC … Entered the University of North Carolina after completing high school in three years … Named the 1994 Tennessee High School Player of the Year … Was a three time all region and all state selection at Germantown High … Was also honored as MVP of state and regional tournaments … Was one of only two players in Tennessee prep history to score more than 100 goals in a career (105 in just three seasons) and is the all time state leader in assists with 83 … Was also a two time high school All American … Named school MVP in basketball as a freshman.

Personal: Full name is Cynthia Marie Parlow Cone… Nickname is “CP” … Was a member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll from 1996 1998 … Enjoys golf, reading and watching movies … Grew up playing soccer against her three brothers (two older and one younger) … Had a 4.0 GPA in high school and ranked in the top five percent in her class … Majored in Education at UNC …Graduated from UNC with honors… Favorite movie is “Shawshank Redemption” … Favorite athlete is Lance Armstrong … Favorite restaurant is The Latern, an Asian fusion place in Chapel Hill, but her favorite food is “anything my mom cooks”… Her favorite book is “The Power of One” by Bryce Courtenay … Has a street ( Cindy Parlow Drive ) named after her in her hometown of Memphis , Tenn. … Holds her own soccer camps in Chapel Hill, North Carolina as well as Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Lauren Gregg

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2006  –  Nigeria
  • 2008  –  Nigeria
  • 2012  –  Argentina
  • 2016  –  China

A long-time assistant coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Lauren Gregg was a member of the coaching staff for the U.S. at the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China, the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Sweden and the 1996 Olympic Games in the USA.
During her tenure as assistant coach, from 1989-2000, Gregg also served as U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team head coach, leading the team to Nordic Cup titles in the 1997 and 1999 editions of the tournament and second place in the 1998 Nordic Cup.

Prior to becoming an assistant coach with U.S. Soccer, Gregg led the University of Virginia to the NCAA Final Four in 1991 and seven straight NCAA tournaments, from 1988-94. Gregg was named NSCAA Coach of the Year in 1990 and was the first woman to lead a team to the NCAA Division I Final Four.

Gregg holds a U.S. Soccer “A” coaching license and earned one cap for the U.S. Women’s National Team in 1986.

Lorrie Fair

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2008  –  Morocco
  • 2010  –  Paraguay
  • 2012  –  Afghanistan
  • 2012  –  Venezuela
  • 2013  –  Iraq
  • 2014  –  Burma
  • 2016  –  Nepal
  • 2018  –  Pakistan
  • 2020  –  Virtual
  • 2022  –  Cote d'Ivoire
  • 2023  –  Brunei

As an undergraduate student at Carolina, Lorrie Fair Allen helped the women’s soccer team to national championships in 1996, 1997 and 1999. During the same period of time, Allen was succeeding on the field globally, becoming a FIFA World Cup champion and an Olympic silver medalist in 2000.

These days, Allen, a mother of two boys under the age of five, works as a program director for the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and volunteers as a sports envoy for the U.S. Department of State.

Her dual passion of soccer and advocacy began to take root when she arrived at Chapel Hill. The women’s soccer program is special, and one of coach Anson Dorrance’s goals is to build leaders, Allen said in a 2018 interview. “His biggest hope is that that extends beyond the soccer field.”

As a State Department sports envoy since 2008, Allen works to support the embassies’ diplomatic missions abroad by connecting with people from diverse cultures using a shared love for soccer. Allen also led a six-month expedition beginning in London and ending in Johannesburg, South Africa, for the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup as part of the organization, Kickabout, which she co-founded and self-funded.

At the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, Allen spearheads the foundation’s grantmaking. She seeks out and identifies community-based organizations in Southern Africa that engage young people to keep themselves and their peers safe from HIV and helps them apply for grants to support them in accomplishing their goals.

In 2016, Allen became a Carolina student once again, pursuing an online master’s degree in public administration through the School of Government.

Michelle Kwan

Figure Skating

Served as envoy

  • 2007  –  China
  • 2007  –  Russia
  • 2008  –  Argentina
  • 2009  –  Ukraine
  • 2010  –  South Korea
  • 2011  –  Singapore

Michelle Kwan has had a distinguished career in public service, diplomacy, and sports. She is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, having won 43 championships, including five world championships, nine national titles, and two Olympic medals. She became the first Public Diplomacy Envoy in 2006 and for a decade, traveled extensively on behalf of the U.S. Department of State to engage youth around the world on social and educational issues. Kwan currently serves as the Treasurer and Board Member of Special Olympics International.

After she earned a B.A. from the University of Denver with a focus on international relations and a M.A. from Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, she became a Senior Advisor at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. In addition, she served as an Advisor to the Office of Global Women’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State, where she assisted with the U.S.-China Women’s Leadership Exchange and Dialogue. She was also a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and Council on Empowering Women and Girls Through Sports initiative at the U.S. Department of State.