CINCINNATI — Cincinnati women's soccer all-time great Christy Hoffman will be inducted into the James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame, the athletics department announced Wednesday. Hoffman was selected for the Bearcats' 2026 Hall of Fame class on Oct. 23 — the Friday night before Cincinnati's football game versus Texas Tech.
More details and the rest of the 50th anniversary class will be announced in the coming weeks. Legendary men’s basketball head coach Bob Huggins and standout high jumper Loretta Blaut were the first two announced.
Hoffman is one of the greatest goalkeepers in Cincinnati women's soccer history, playing for the Bearcats from 1997 to 2001. She guided Cincinnati to two NCAA Tournament spots, including the program’s first Sweet Sixteen appearance, the 2001 Conference USA Regular Season Championship and two Conference USA Tournament Championships in 1997 and 2001.
The Cincinnati record book is filled with Hoffman's name. In addition to holding the single-season records for goals-against average (0.58), wins (20), and shutouts (14) set during her incredible 2001 campaign, she continues to be the program's all-time leader in career shutouts (32.5) and goalkeeper victories (59). In terms of saves, games played and games started, she is also one of the program's all-time top 10 leaders.
Hoffman was voted Conference USA Defender of the Year in 2001 and was selected to the First Team All-Conference that season. She had previously been named Second Team (2000) and Third Team (1997) All-Conference. During Cincinnati's 1997 title run, she was named to the Conference USA All-Tournament Team and was named Most Valuable Goalkeeper.
Hoffman was named a Soccer Buzz Freshman All-American Honorable Mention in 1997, won three Soccer Buzz All-Great Lakes Region awards and was named All-Ohio by the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association. Equally successful in the classroom, she received the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal, was recognized as a CoSIDA Academic All-American and was chosen for the CoSIDA Academic All-District.
Hoffman's daughter, Braelyn Even, is a freshman on the Bearcats' women's soccer team.
