MADISON, Wis. – Former Wisconsin soccer player Heather Taggart and former football player Troy Vincent are two of the six former student-athletes who will receive the 2017 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, the NCAA announced on Thursday.

The Silver Anniversary Award annually recognizes six distinguished individuals for their collegiate and professional achievements on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their college athletics careers. Representatives of NCAA member schools and conferences, along with a panel of former student-athletes, select each year's recipients.

Taggart and Vincent are just the fourth and fifth Silver Anniversary Award recipients in University of Wisconsin history, with Taggart being the first female. They join Mark Johnson (2005), Pat Richter (1988) and Alan Ameche (1980).

Taggart graduated from UW in 1992 with dual degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology and two nods as a National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-America goalkeeper. She holds school records for career shutouts and goals-against average in a season, and ranks second all-time in career saves and goals-against average. 

In 1991, Taggart was named the Adidas/Missouri Athletic Club Collegiate Goalkeeper of the Year and the Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America Goalkeeper of the Year. In 1992, Taggart was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American and a recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor. 

She received an NCAA postgraduate scholarship and attended the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, graduating with high distinction, before joining a group medical practice in Omaha, Nebraska, as a physician of obstetrics and gynecology. Taggart also served as chairwoman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Alegent Health Midlands Hospital from 2005 to 2012. 

She teaches medical students as a volunteer at Creighton University and has conducted a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where she provided care in underserved rural areas of the country.

Vincent earned multiple accolades for his skills on the field. In 1991, he was named the Big Ten co-Defensive Player of the Year and was runner-up for the Jim Thorpe Award. During his senior year at Wisconsin, he served as a team captain, was recognized as an American Football Coaches Association All-American and was voted most valuable player by his teammates. 

Vincent was selected in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He played in five Pro Bowls during his 15 seasons in the NFL. After his playing days ended, he returned to school at Thomas Edison State College, where he graduated with his liberal arts degree in 2007 while also serving as the president of the NFL Players Association. In 2010, Vincent accepted a job with the NFL as the head of player engagement, before being named the executive vice president of football operations in 2014. 

Vincent has engaged in community service throughout his career, earning him the 2002 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the NFL Players Association Byron "Whizzer" White Award and the Athletes in Action Bart Starr Award. He also founded the Love Thy Neighbor Community Development and Opportunity Corporation, which has awarded more than $500,000 in college scholarships to inner-city students.

Taggart and Vincent join BYU's Ty Detmer, Georgetown's Alonzo Mourning, Susan Robinson Fruchtl of Penn State and Stanford's Tommy Vardell as this year's recipients. The NCAA will recognize the honorees at the Honors Celebration during the 2017 NCAA Convention on Jan. 18 in Nashville, Tennessee.