The number of candidates for the MAC Hermann Trophy, college soccer's top individual award, has dwindled down to 15, as the semifinalists were announced ahead of this weekend's Elite Eight action.
The three finalists will be named next Friday, and the winner will be announced at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Jan. 7. Former Akron star and current Sporting Kansas City and U.S. men's national team forward Teal Bunbury won the award last year. Here are the semifinalists:
- Will Bruin, F, Indiana
- Tony Cascio, F, Connecticut
- Michael Farfan, M, North Carolina
- Ethan Finlay, F, Creighton
- Corey Hertzog, F, Penn State
- Antoine Hoppenot, F, Princeton
- Arthur Ivo, M, Southern Methodist
- Matt Kassel, M, Maryland
- Ryan Kinne, M, Monmouth
- Darlington Nagbe, F, Akron
- Colin Rolfe, F, Louisville
- Kofi Sarkodie, D, Akron
- Ben Sippola, M, Butler
- A.J. Soares, D, California
- Andrew Wenger, D, Duke
Surprised by any names on the list? Was there anybody who didn't make the semifinal cut that you think should have? Who do you think should win the award?
Share your thoughts below.
SAAD of Michigan is only a freshman, but among the top goal scorers with 20.
Some nice choices here: Nagbe, Soares, Sarkodie, and Bruin are the favorites. But no Zac MacMath from Maryland or Soony Saad from Michigan? Really? I know Saad is a freshman, but what more does he need to do. And MacMath probably has the best professional future of anyone in college soccer right now.
No relation to Chris Rolfe . . .
Hmmm Soony leads the country in goals scored and is on a team still in it…Rowe had 6 goals and 9 assists and is the orchestrator of a team still in it. It seems like they fill both requirements.
I do agree with you for the most part though 🙂
Always pleased to see Duke potshots.
I tried to find this out last year after watching Colin play a few times (he’s a very underrated player btw, glad to see this acknowledgement). I couldn’t confirm with my friend in the UofL athletics office.
fair enough point, but he has bailed them out of a lot of games and is definitely worthy of being considered among the top 15 college players, 15 shutouts is an incredible statistic
He has “carried” the highest scoring team in the country? Zach, is that you?
Underclassmen don’t usually make these types of list unless they are exceptional/high profile players at major programs and have massive stats to support their inclusion.
that is funny, I was just about to type the same thing. I looked online, couldn’t find anything.
Is Colin Rolfe and relation to Chris?
He is a quality player who has a great first touch, can use both feet and is amazing on set pieces. He controls the play of the game.
Just saw that Friedel won it back in the day, I think Macmath deserves to be at least a semi-finalist, he has carried Maryland in a lot of ways this year
He already is an assistant with the U18 MNT along with Jay Vidovich and Ken Lolla.
Please get the Akron coach an MLS gig or a spot with the US youth teams ASAP.
Don’t know who Andrew Wenger is, but since he plays for Duke he is undoubtedly a wanker.
Where is Bobby Warshaw? Kid was a stud for Stanford… despite playing for Stanford.
Can a keeper not make the list? Zach Macmath should be on the list if they can
Surprised that Kelyn Rowe and Soony Saad were left of the list.
Can you give a description of the type of player Matt Kassel is? Just read an interview with Erik Soler where he said he could possibly get a Homegrown contract with RBNY.