The University of Akron Athletics
Zakuani One of Three Finalists For Hermann Trophy
December 13 | Men's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron
sophomore Steve Zakuani is one of three finalists for the
2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, the organization
announced Friday.
The Hermann Trophy is considered the highest individual honor in
intercollegiate soccer. Joining Zakuani on the prestigious list are
a pair of senior Wake Forest standouts, Sam Cronin
and Marcus Tracy.
The finalists were determined in voting by Division I men's soccer
coaches who are members of the National Soccer Coaches Association
of America (NSCAA).
"This is a tremendous honor for Steve and certainly the Akron
soccer program that he is considered one of the top three players
in all of Division I college soccer," said UA head coach Caleb
Porter. "For a sophomore to lead the country in scoring and
points with a competitive schedule like we play is a testament to
just how special he is."
The trio will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) in
downtown St. Louis on Friday, Jan. 9, for a news conference where
the winner of the award will be revealed at approximately 7 p.m.
(EST). A banquet at the Club that evening will feature the formal
presentation of the heralded crystal soccer ball trophy to the
winner.
Were he to win, Zakuani, who was the only underclassman named to
the watch list this season, would be just the third sophomore ever
to do so. He is the first Akron player to be named a finalist for
the Hermann Trophy.
Zakuani was named to the NSCAA/adidas All-America First Team
earlier Friday and the All-Great Lakes Region First Team Thursday.
The nation's scoring leader (20 goals, 47 points) was named the
2008 MAC Player of the Year and Top Drawer Soccer's Player
of the Season last month.
Cronin,
a midfielder, is a two-time All-ACC selection. This season he has
scored ten goals and added four assists in helping the Demon
Deacons to a second consecutive College Cup appearance, following
their 2007 national championship season. Cronin has started every
game of his career at Wake, setting the school record for most
starts.
Tracy, a forward, scored 13 goals and added 10 assists for 36
points, including three game-winners for Wake. He has put more than
60 percent of his shots on goal and scored one goal in each of the
first six games of the season. Tracy scored a goal in Wake's 5-0
victory over South Florida in the NCAA quarterfinals. Tracy and
Cronin are the first teammates to be MAC finalists since University
of Virgnia's Mike Fisher and Damian Silvera in 1995.
The MAC
has honored the top player in collegiate soccer since 1986. For a
complete list of past winners, go to www.mac-hermann-trophy.org. An exhibition featuring
the current and past recipients of the MAC Hermann Trophy is on
display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y.
