Tracy, Hanks Named Hermann Winners.
forward Marcus Tracy of Wake Forest University are the winners of the 2008
Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, presented to the top female and
male players in NCAA Division I soccer. The winners were decided by a vote
of NCAA Division I soccer coaches who are current members of the National
Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
Hanks (Allen, Texas), who won the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2006, becomes just
the fourth two-time winner joining Mia Hamm (North Carolina, 1992-93), Cindy
Parlow (North Carolina, 1997-98) and Christine Sinclair (Portland, 2004-05).
She is the only player, male or female, to win the award in non-consecutive
years. She finished the 2008 season ranked fifth in the nation in goals
(20), tied for third in assists (15) and tied for second in points (55). The
only Division I player to rank in the top five nationally in goals, assists
and points this past season, she was named a NSCAA/adidas first-team
All-America and the Big East Offensive Player of the Year.
Hanks led the Irish to the College Cup Final, where she set a NCAA
championship record by scoring a goal just 0:16 into the match. Hanks
finishes her collegiate career tied for second on the NCAA career assists
list. She also ranks in the top 20 in seven other NCAA career scoring
categories. Hanks established 63 different Notre Dame school records for
career, single-season and postseason.
The first runner-up was North Carolina junior forward Casey Nogueira
(Raleigh, N.C.) and UCLA senior midfielder Christina DiMartino (Massapequa,
N.Y.) was the next runner-up.
Tracy (Newtown, Conn.) scored 13 goals and added 10 assists for 36 points
during the 2008 season. He was one of only two players in the country to
finish the year with double-digit totals in goals and assists. Tracy
registered at least one point in 16 of Wake Forest’s 24 games. He was
honored for his stellar play by being named a first-team All-ACC selection
and a first-team NSCAA/adidas All-America. Tracy becomes the first Wake
Forest player to win the MAC Hermann Trophy.
Tracy led the Demon Deacons to the 2008 College Cup, Wake¹s third
consecutive appearance. In 2007, Tracy was named the Most Outstanding
Offensive Player of the College Cup as he led Wake to the program¹s first
national championship. During his career, Tracy helped Wake Forest to a
74-15-9 record and finished his career ranked in the school’s top 10 in
points (83), goals (30) and assists (23).
The top runner-up was Akron sophomore forward Steve Zakuani (London,
England) followed by Wake Forest senior midfielder Sam Cronin
(Winston-Salem, N.C.).
The Missouri Athletic Club has been presenting college soccer¹s players of
the year awards since 1986. The MAC was established in 1903 as an athletic,
dining and social club. It has a “Platinum Club of America” status, which is
awarded to the top private clubs in the country.
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the NSCAA is the largest coaches’ organization
in the United States. Since its founding in 1941, it has grown to include
more than 28,000 members who coach both genders at all levels of the sport.
In addition to a national rankings program for colleges and high schools,
NSCAA offers an extensive recognition program that presents nearly 10,000
individual awards every year. It fulfills its mission of coaching education
through a nationwide program of clinics and week-long courses, teaching more
than 4,000 soccer coaches each year.
An exhibition dedicated to the Missouri Athletic Club¹s Hermann Trophy
featuring all former recipients of both the MAC and Hermann trophies, the
current winners, a replica of the Irish crystal trophy and the original
Hermann Trophy is on display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta,
N.Y. Additional information about the National Soccer Hall of Fame can be
found at www.soccerhall.org.