Greenville, S.C. – Former Furman soccer standout Clint Dempsey has been selected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022, it was announced on Sunday evening. He was elected in his first year of eligibility.

Dempsey, who announced his retirement from soccer in 2018, is joined in the Class of 2022 by Shannon Boxx, Hope Solo, Marco Etcheverry, Linda Hamilton and Esse Baharmast. The induction ceremony will be held on May 21 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

The Nacogdoches, Texas, native, who was one of the best goal scorers in United States national team history, played 141 games for the USMNT and nine seasons in Major League Soccer, with two Best XI selections. When he retired, Dempsey was tied with Landon Donovan as the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 57 international goals, including goals in three World Cups, a Confederations Cup, a Copa America and four CONCACAF Gold Cups.

A three-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year, Dempsey is the only U.S. Men's National Team player to score in three World Cups, finding the back of the net for his country in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. The midfielder/forward, who began his professional career with the New England Revolution, returned to Major League Soccer in 2013 and led the Seattle Sounders to the MLS Cup in 2016.

An NSCAA All-American selection in 2002, Dempsey was a three-year starter for the Paladins and totaled 17 goals and 19 assists. The three-time All-Southern Conference selection guided Furman to 19 wins and a NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2002. The Revolution selected him with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2004 MLS SuperDraft.

He was inducted into Furman’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and the SoCon Hall of Fame in 2014.