The University of Akron Athletics
Nagbe Earns Akron's Second Straight Hermann Trophy
January 08 | Men's Soccer
ST. LOUIS - For the second consecutive season, the nation's best collegiate soccer player comes from The University of Akron. This was confirmed Friday night when Zips' junior Darlington Nagbe was presented the Hermann Trophy at the Missouri Athletic Club.
The Hermann Trophy is considered the most prestigious honor in intercollegiate soccer and is the official National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Player of the Year award for Division I competition. Nagbe, a two-time NSCAA All-American, was one of three finalists for the award, along with Indiana's Will Bruin, who was the first runner-up, and Louisville's Colin Rolfe.
"It feels great," said Nagbe about winning the award. "The two
other finalists are great players. But I'm especially grateful for
the honor because any one of my teammates could have been up here
accepting this award instead of me."
Nagbe, a native of Lakewood, Ohio, earned the prestigious
recognition after Teal
Bunbury, who earned his first cap with the United States
full national team last November, became the first player in UA
history to win the award a year ago. In all, Akron is just the
fifth school in the history of the men's player of the year award
to record consecutive winners and the first since Virginia in
1995-96.
Nagbe also represents the third UA finalist in as many years for
the Hermann Trophy as current Major League Soccer star Steve
Zakuani was the first runner-up for the signature crystal ball
following the 2008 season.
"Having three different players in three consecutive years make the
final three - and two win it - says a lot about the talent we have
and the talent we're developing," said UA head coach Caleb
Porter. "This has been a magical season and this award
is the icing on the cake. I'm really happy for Darlington because
it couldn't have happened to a better kid. He's worked so hard for
this."
Nagbe, the 2010 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, led
Akron to its first team national championship in any sport last
December in Santa Barbara, Calif., with a 1-0 victory over
Louisville. The skillful striker paced the Zips' vaunted attack
with a career-high 13 assists, which was ranked seventh among all
Division I players. Moreover, six of Nagbe's helpers set up
game-winning goals for Akron, which averaged 2.56 goals/game as a
team (ranked third nationally).
"Darlington's not necessarily a guy people will appreciate based
solely on stats," Porter said. "But if anyone comes to see him
play, you notice his quality, his gifts and talents. You'll see him
do things that nobody can do. I can honestly say that of all the
college players I've coached, he does things in practice and
game-in and game-out that I've never seen anybody do. And it's the
subtle things: the touches, the change of pace, the balance, how he
gets out of pressure. He's a playmaker. Playmakers aren't always
looking to score goals, they're looking to make plays; and
Darlington makes plays through his possession, his vision and his
touches. He was a key player for us and a big part of our
success."
Nagbe's chemistry with first-year Jamaican striker Darren
Mattocks was key to the Zips' attack up top as the two
combined for 25 goals, including eight game-winners, and 18
assists. Nagbe, who finished fourth on the team with seven goals,
was named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team and earned
All-American status from College Soccer News and Top
Drawer Soccer.
"Darlington and Darren were a lethal combination," Porter said. "It
was the perfect tandem because Darren's always looking to get
behind, stretch the field and go to the goal; and Darlington's
going to check, hold the ball, link to the midfielders and also
roll, drive and slip Darren. Darren's working the space behind the
back four and Darlington's working the space in front of the back
four. That made it very difficult for teams to deal with."
Nagbe was one of five Akron underclassmen to sign professional
contracts with Generation adidas last month and will forgo his
final year of eligibility to enter the 2011 Major League Soccer
SuperDraft, which will be held in Baltimore, Md., on Jan. 13. Live
Coverage will be provided by ESPN2, starting at Noon (EST).
Each of UA's previous two Hermann Trophy finalists did not wait
long to hear their names called at the MLS draft as Zakuani was
selected No. 1 overall in 2009 and Bunbury went No. 4 overall in
2010. Nagbe is expected to follow suit.
"It's been neat to see those three guys, who all played together
and were friends, grow and develop," Porter said. "I think Steve
paved the way and inspired Teal and Darlington to follow. Then when
Steve left, Teal emerged. When Teal left, it was Darlington's time
to step up and now they're going to all play in the MLS
together."
With a brand of play that is attractive and attack-oriented, yet
effective on both sides of the ball, the Zips once again took the
college world by storm in 2010 - earning a pair of shutout road
victories over No. 4 North Carolina (3-0) and No. 3 Wake Forest
(2-0) - in the first weekend of the season. UA then pushed its
shutout streak to 11 consecutive games - matching an NCAA record -
with a 4-0 rout of No. 2 Tulsa in September before 4,744 fans at
Lee R. Jackson Soccer Field. A 1-0 victory over No. 9 Creighton and
a 7-1 rout of Michigan highlighted the remainder of the regular
season as the Zips finished the year with just one loss to its
name.
By running the table with a perfect 13-0 record at home, Akron
matched another Division I milestone, extending its home unbeaten
streak to 39 games (38-0-1), as it dispatched West Virginia,
Indiana and California to earn a trip to the College Cup for the
second consecutive year. In addition to winning the first team
national championship in school history, the Zips (22-1-2) also
became just the third program to do so in Mid-American Conference
history - and the first in 45 years.
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.
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the NSCAA is the largest coaches'
organization in the world. Since its founding in 1941, it has grown
to include more than 30,000 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 6,000
soccer coaches each year.
2010 Hermann
Trophy Introduction Video:
2010 Hermann Trophy Men's Finalists:
2010 Hermann Trophy Winner Darlington Nagbe:
