Ancaster Native Melissa Tancredi is the 2012 Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year.

Tancredi, a striker on the Canadian women’s Olympic soccer team, scored four goals in the 2012 tournament, leading to Canada’s first team medal at the Summer games since 1936.

Tancredi also assisted on three of Christine Sinclair’s markers. She was the third highest scorer in London.

The Cathedral High School product was an All-American and All-American Academic at the University of Notre Dame.

She earned silver medals at both the 2012 CONCACAF women’s Olympic qualifying tournament and the Cyprus Cup in February of 2012.

Tancredi was mobbed by young autograph seekers last fall after returning to Ancaster with her bronze medal. She is currently completing chiropractic school in St. Louis.

“I think it’s huge,” said Tancredi, describing the impact of the Olympic medal on Canadian soccer.  “It’s a huge event for our sport and it’s a huge event for women’s sports in general. To put women’s soccer on the map, I’m very proud to be a part of it.”

Tancredi scored both Canadian goals in a 2-2 draw with Sweden that helped Canada advance from group play. It was her first multi-goal game in international competition. Tancredi scored her first goal of the games in a 2-1 loss to Japan and added her second during a 3-0 win over South Africa.

After a controversial 4-3 loss to the U.S., Canada turned in a masterful defensive performance to hold off the French for a 1-0 win in the bronze medal game.

The other award finalists were Paralympic swimmer Summer Mortimer of Ancaster and Burlington hockey player Cory Conacher who now plays for the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning.