Noyola, Wenger Named 2011 MAC Hermann Trophy Winners

Senior midfielder Teresa Noyola from Stanford University and junior forward Andrew Wenger from Duke University are the winners of the 2011 Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, presented to the best female and male players in NCAA Division I soccer. The winners were decided by a vote of NCAA Division I soccer coaches whose programs are current members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

This year’s presentation is unique for both the women and men. Noyola is the third different Stanford player to win the award in as many years, following Christen Press (2010) and Kelley O’Hara (2009). It marks the first time in the history of the MAC Hermann Trophy that three different players from the same school have won the award three years in a row.

Wenger becomes the first MAC Hermann Trophy winner to be coached by a former winner. Duke head coach John Kerr won the award in 1986 while playing for the Blue Devils.

Noyola (Palo Alto, Calif.) scored the game-winning goal with a header in the 53rd minute of the 2011 College Cup final against Florida State to capture Stanford’s first national championship. She was named the Offensive MVP of the Final Four. In 2011, she scored nine goals, including five game-winners, and added 15 assists. Noyola has also excelled in the classroom, where she earned Pac-12 and NSCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.

During Noyola’s four-year career, the Cardinal went 95-4-4, including 53-0-1 at home, and reached four consecutive College Cups. She totaled 31 goals and 40 assists (102 points) in her career. Noyola was named NSCAA All-America three times (2008, 2010, 2011), the most for any Stanford player since Julie Foudy received four such honors from 1989-92. An NSCAA Youth and High School All-America while playing at Palo Alto High School, she becomes the first player to earn every NSCAA individual player honor at each level (Youth Player of the Year in 2006, High School Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007 and the Hermann Trophy and College Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2011). Noyola played for Mexico in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany.

The first runner-up was Stanford senior forward Lindsay Taylor (Los Altos, Calif.), followed by Penn State sophomore forward Maya Hayes (West Orange, N.J.).

Wenger (Lititz, Pa.) led the ACC with 17 goals and 42 points overall and ranked fourth nationally in total points and sixth in total goals. A starter in every game for the Blue Devils over the past three years, Wenger has earned nearly every ACC award possible. He was selected the 2011 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, after being named the ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

Wenger is the fourth Duke player to win the prestigious crystal soccer ball trophy, following Kerr (1986), Jay Heaps (1998) and Ali Curtis (2000). Equally as successful in the classroom, he became the second Blue Devil in program history to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America first team honors. Wenger was also recently one of four juniors to receive NSCAA Scholar All-America first team honors.

The first MAC Hermann Trophy runner-up was Creighton forward Ethan Finlay (Marshfield, Wis.), followed by North Carolina junior forward Billy Schuler (Allentown, N.J.).

The Missouri Athletic Club has been presenting college soccer’s 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.