21-Year-Old Soccer Star From Marin County Dies From Cancer

CORTE MADERA, CA — A 21-year-old college soccer star who grew up in Corte Madera and played soccer at a high school in Larkspur died Nov. 6 after being diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer in April, school officials said.

Mia Hamant was a soccer player at the University of Washington after playing in Marin County.

"Mia was the heart of our program — someone who lifted up everyone around her with her joy, courage, and kindness. Even in the most difficult moments, she showed an unshakable spirit that inspired her teammates and coaches every single day. Mia made us all better people, and her impact will be felt in this program and in all of our lives forever," said Nicole Van Dyke UW women's soccer head coach.

Hamant had shared on social media she was diagnosed on April 11 with nonsickle cell SMARCB1-deficient renal medullary carcinoma, an extremely rare form of stage 4 kidney cancer. Her condition was so rare that many medical facilities may only see a single case per year, according to a GoFundMe created to support Hamant.

She grew up in Corte Madera and attended Redwood High School in Larkspur before becoming a standout goalkeeper for the Huskies.

Hamant died on Nov. 6 and on Sunday the UW women's soccer team defeated Michigan State in a shootout to win the school’s first Big Ten title.

Redwood High School and Marin FC will honor Hamant by wearing orange ribbons on their jerseys for the remainder of their seasons and are planning to name an award after her.