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Ian Harkes wins MAC Hermann Trophy

Harkes.Ian

History was made Friday night in St. Louis, as the MAC Hermann Trophy winner was taken home by the son of a past winner for the first time in the history of the storied award.

Wake Forest’s Ian Harkes, son of former U.S. men’s national team star John Harkes, took home the prestigious trophy. The honor added to the growing trophy case of the Wake Forest midfielder. Harkes earned the ACC Midfielder of the Year, ACC Tournament MVP and NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player awards.

“This is a huge honor,” Harkes said. “Of course I have to thank my teammates, because any success that I’ve ever had is due to them. They’ve helped me all four years throughout the ups and downs.”

“I couldn’t be more excited for Ian to win the MAC Hermann Trophy. It’s the most prestigious award in college soccer and he proved time and time again this season that he’s an elite player in our game,”  Wake Forest head coach Bobby Muuss said. “His senior season was one for the record books and we couldn’t be more excited for him and his family.”

The four-year starter at Wake Forest has not yet decided on his future. He could join D.C. United in Major League Soccer on a homegrown deal, or he could choose to move overseas. His father played six seasons in England before joining MLS.

Comments

  1. I thought he was related to John Harkes, guess not. Hope he moves Tina championship or bundesliga 2 side. Easier to get playing time.

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  2. You know something is wrong with the system when you know every single major youth player in our pool, but you don’t learn about this young man until he wins the Hermann. Hmmm

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    • Not sure what you mean. He’s been playing the past four years at a super low level. Most likely he’ll never play meaningful minutes anywhere as a pro. Two years ago Leo Stolz won this “prestigious” award, he couldn’t get on the field for RBNY, had some middling appearances for RBNY II and is no longer even playing soccer. College soccer is a wasteland. It is not a place for serious young players.

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      • College soccer is a wasteland?!
        There are plenty of good pros and even national teamers who played college soccer. It’s not as good as most academies, but the best college players are often good MLS players.
        Don’t let the fact that the NYRB screwed up a draft of a college player confuse you.
        Care to wager about Harkes’ meaningful professional minutes?

      • Maybe, maybe not Jordan Morris won it last year and seems to be doing just fine. Patrick Mullina won twice and has contributed for four years in MLS. Andrew Wenger won it before Mullins. Nagbe the year before that. There are a couple of Hermann ward winners who have not panned out professionally, but 6 of the past 7 are on active rosters and playing. The ironic thing is the one you listed (Stolz) grew up playing in 1860 Munich’s youth system and was offered a contract but opted to go to college to play instead.

      • Take a look at the professional careers of Most Heisman winners. Success of Hermann winners compares favorably with those in the NFL. Apples to oranges but whatever. Good luck to the kid.

      • Hermann Trophy had a good run from 89-93 with Meola,Lalas, Friedel and John Harkes and then it hit a wasteland for about fifteen years with Aleko Eskandarian being the closest to a star and his career was quickly cut short by injury. A descent run since 2009, but Bunbury also has been hit by injury, Nagbe, Morris, and Mullins all still have much to prove at least on the international stage.

        If you look at the Heisman Trophy since 1989, you’d have Eddie George, Charles Woodson, and Cam Newton as really the only guys who made anything of their NFL careers. Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston would be in the Morris category of show a lot of promise but too early to tell.

        Naismith Award winners since 1989 you’d have Larry Johnson, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, and Blake Griffin as the only guys likely to make the Hall of Fame at this point. So college player of the year awards seem not to be great predictors in any sport.

  3. We are spoiled here in Winston-Salem, getting to watch a college soccer team that actually plays good soccer, possession soccer, and is loaded with talent. Whoever gets him or Jacori Hayes is getting a good player.

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