Sharon Wheeler
SRU Class of 1986 / SRU Soccer Ring of Honor 2013
SHARON WHEELER, a former member of The Rock women’s soccer club-team program, has carved out an impressive niche as a professional soccer official.
Wheeler began refereeing in 1991 and attained National Referee status in 1999.
A native of Albany, N.Y., Wheeler served as a Major League Soccer referee from 1996-2001 and officiated a league playoff game in 1999. She also refereed in the WUSA from 2001-03, a stint highlighted by her assignments to work the opening and championship games in 2001.
Wheeler maintained International/FIFA-AR status from 2000-08, when she retired in accordance to FIFA’s age requirement.
Wheeler also officiated the NCAA Women’s Finals in 2000 and a Women’s World Cup quarterfinal match in 2003, as well as numerous Gold Cup and CONCACAF Pre-Olympic qualifier matches and Florida state high school championship matches.
While completing college, Wheeler, who began her collegiate career at SUNY Albany before transferring to SRU after two years, coached girls U-19 teams from 1982-86 and led a Team USA Sportsring squad on a three-week European tour in 1986.
A 1986 cum laude graduate from The Rock and owner of a master’s degree from Penn State University in 1992, Wheeler currently resides in Rensselaer, N.Y., and has been employed the past 10 years at Albany Medical Center, a Regional Level 1 Trauma Center, where she created and manages the Healing Arts Program.
Wheeler is also a Celtic musician and co-founded Triskele, an international all-female performing group.
