Lake County Gazette

Illinois Tenth Congressional District candidate Jim Carris congratulated Greyslake resident and U.S. National Team soccer player Korbin Albert on her gold medal win at the Olympics, saying, "As a former Fighting Irish myself, congratulations Korbin! Well done and we can’t wait to see what you accomplish next!" He made the statement in an Aug. 13 Facebook post.

"Congratulations to Grayslake's own and former Notre Dame women's soccer player Korbin Albert who is an Olympic champion," said Carris, according to Facebook. "Korbin won a gold medal with the U.S. women's soccer team in a 1-0 match against Brazil 1-0 in the tournament final at the Paris Games. As a former Fighting Irish myself, congratulations Korbin! Well done and we can't wait to see what you accomplish next!"

Albert is a Greyslake, Illinois resident who played soccer at the University of Notre Dame as recently as the 2022-2023 season, as a sophomore. Her biography on the Fighting Irish Women’s Soccer page notes that she left Notre Dame and signed a professional contract with Paris Saint-Germain, one of the largest and most popular football clubs in Europe. Her career honors through that 2022-2023 season at Notre Dame included being named a top 3 finalist for the 2022 Mac Herman Trophy; the 2022 Top Drawer Soccer Player of the Year; ACC Midfielder of the Year; 2022 College Soccer News First Team All-America in 2022; and 2022 ACC All-Academic team. In addition, she is a two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Region honoree, and she had scored 28 career goals and 65 career points, including eight career game winners.

Screenshot of Jim Carris for Congress Aug. 13 Facebook post | Jim Carris For Congress Facebook page

The U.S. Women’s National Team won an Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris games on Aug. 10. According to WNDU.com, Albert started in the game and contributed the "match-winning assist" in the 57th minute of the match against Brazil that day. This marked the end of a gold medal drought for the women’s team, which hadn’t won a gold medal in soccer since 2012.

Albert was named to the 2024 U.S. Women’s National Team going to the Olympics in Paris on June 26, according to The New York Post, which quoted head coach Emma Hayes about Albert’s inclusion on the team. "I think she’s demonstrated, in Gold Cup, that she can play a lot of games in quick succession," said Hayes. "She’s got the ability to play all three midfield positions, though [central midfielder] is her best position." The article also discussed social media posts that some said made Albert’s inclusion on the team a controversial choice.

Carris stands as a prominent figure in Lake County, deeply rooted in the local business community and boasting a lengthy residency. His campaign website notes Carris's background in business takes center stage, distinguishing him from a typical political career. His campaign website underscores his lifelong dedication to business endeavors, including legal practice, entrepreneurship, and corporate leadership. An accomplished attorney, Carris currently holds influential positions as Managing Principal, Executive Managing Director, and Market Leader at Colliers International.