Two-time Major League Soccer MVP Preki and Thomas Dooley were
elected Thursday to the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Dooley was selected on 83 of the 117 ballots cast in his
final year of eligibility. Preki was on 80 ballots (68.4 percent),
just over the 66.7 percent required for election. Earnie Stewart
(58.1), Shannon MacMillan (54.7) and Joe-Max Moore (52.1) were next
on the list.
Dooley and Preki were both on the 1998 U.S. World Cup team,
and the two started back-to-back MLS All-Star games in 1998-99.
Dooley, the 1993 U.S. Soccer athlete of the year, is just one
of five players in the modern era to start every game in
consecutive World Cups for the U.S., accomplishing the feat in 1994
and '98. The German-born star, who began his professional career in
his home country, finished with seven goals in 81 international
appearances for the U.S.
Preki was the only player to start the first eight MLS
All-Star games and was the league's all-time points leader when he
retired and the first player with five 10-goal, 10-assist seasons.
The Yugoslavian-born star had four goals in 28 appearances on the
U.S. national team.
A panel of media, coaches, administrators and Hall of Fame
members vote in the election. The date for the induction ceremony
has yet to be announced.
