Aug. 11, 2009
ST. LOUIS, Mo.--Penn State women's soccer have three of their own on the 2009 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy watch list released Tuesday. The trophy, which honors the top male and female Division I college soccer players in the U.S., represents the highest level of individual achievement in the sport.
Seniors Katie Schoepfer, Alyssa Naeher and freshman Christine Nairn, were all tabbed from the Nittany Lion squad for the list. In all, 45 student-athletes were named to be on the list for the women's award.
This is the second-straight year that Penn State has seen three members of its team on the list, which included Schoepfer and Naeher. Nairn is the only freshmen on the list, a rare feat for someone who hasn't stepped foot on a collegiate pitch.
Penn State has an outstanding tradition with the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy. Six of the past nine years, a Nittany Lion has either won or been the runner-up for the trophy. Christie Welsh won the award in 2001 and was runner-up twice in 2000 and 2002, respectively. Other finalists included Ali Krieger (2006), Tiffany Weimer (2003, 2004, 2005), Erin McLeod (2005), and Joanna Lohman (2003).
In November, semifinalists are announced and a couple weeks later, the finalists will be announced and invited to St. Louis for the presentation to the winner.
The winners of the award are selected through voting by the members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Each January, the winners are honored at an annual banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club, located in downtown St. Louis. The M.A.C.'s Hermann Trophy is on exhibition at the National Soccer Hall of Fame Museum in Oneonta, N.Y.
Penn State opens its season on Saturday with an exhibition game against Pittsburgh at Jeffrey Field. Kick off is slated for 4:00 p.m., while the regular season opener will be against Virginia at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21.
For complete coverage of all the Nittany Lion soccer this season, go to www.GoPSUsports.com/sports/w-soccer.
Follow Penn State women's soccer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PSUWomensSoccer.
--NITTANY LIONS--