They had a live stream from the Mac Herman press conference, Beautiful video but the sound was terrible.
She's one of those rare players where the ball never seems to break contact with her feet while she handles it.
So here's a question for the NC people. Does she get to wear her name on the sleeve for her senior year or do they wait to retire it until after she graduates?
The MAC streamed the news conference live. Yes, indeed, kernel, you are right. Crystal did look great. What really defined her was her composure, intelligence, smile, and friendliness -all of which came straight through on camera......not that those fundamental attributes were in any way offset by a neat coif and great selection of dress, shoes, and jewelry! A stunning and classy combination all-together. Her parents must be extremely proud. ....and I can't wait to see more of her on the soccer pitch!
Heartfelt congratulations to Crystal Dunn on a richly deserved honor! Well done! I remember making the point (when Whit Engen was playing for the Heels) that the MH would never be given to a defender. So now, I'm thinking ... I'm in something of a quandary. It could be that I was just wrong? I could believe that. Or... it could mean... that Dunn is so astounding and amazing that she won the award on that fragment of the season where she was played in attack? I could believe that too. But... maybe it means... Dunn is so exceptional that it doesn't matter where she is on the field; her brilliance shines anywhere on the field? I'm trying very hard to understand, but whatever the cause, its Righteous! I agree with Dorrance and everyone else who has said this gal is one of the most outstanding female talents to every play the college game! Additionally, no one could better embody team spirit and a flexibility to do whatever was asked to contribute to the squad. She is an outstanding example as a role model and a contributor. Among a field of strong candidates, I agree Crystal was a clear choice. Congratulations to her!
By then the Mac-Herman Trophy had Already been awarded to a UNC defender. Cat Reddick (Whitehill) won the award as a defender in 2003.
I think the award was given to the best and most complete "soccer player" - it was not given to a defender, a midfielder or a forward but Crystal embodies all of those. She does things that no other DI player (at a high level school) does or is asked to do - basically she does whatever AD asks her to do and each time she responds at the highest possible level. How many other players can do that in this country? None.
... So, at the least, we know my memory is flawed, and/or I don't know what I am talking about! Either or both of those could also be true. I should have known about the Reddick MH, as she remains one of my favorite Carolina players. Thanks for that correction!
MH recap 1 I dont think Dunn wins it without the shift to CM for the NCAAs. 2 That Dunn wins this with 5 goals and 5 assists or something like that is unbelievable 3 I never realized how big a non event MH is. Did anybody even carry the story? Wow.
Sometimes a players contributions aren't just goal stats, especially when they are a defender. Reddick is again the example. She won the award with 6 goals and 5 assists. Consider that the team she was on had Chalupney with 11 goals, OReilly with 16 goals, and Tarpley with 23 goals that year. That doesn't even include competition from players on other NCAA teams. Everyone knew it was Reddick's team.
And Reddick missed the first part of her season with the 2003 USWNT World Cup squad, so she and Dunn had something else in common
It's tough to win it as a junior playing central defender. I think it was very deserved but I still think her run thru the ncaa where she did everything but roll out the balls sealed the deal for her. Im sure that perfect ball she put on Ubagadu's head in extra time against Korea PKR didnt hurt her either. Just amazing to have someone have national impact at two completely different positions.
Yes, what a unique player Crystal is. I also like your point, KT, about the MH as "non-event"--to me that's either UNC's fault or just the national sports media's indifference, or both. Why isn't that an ESPN feature, for example? By the way, apparently the Big Ten Network offers a national telecast of every one of their Olympic sports teams events. (I think that's right.) If so, what a boost to recruiting!
Absolutely - she won this with the impact in the World Cup and in the NCAA tournament. I don't think anyone is looking at her as a real defender at the college level. She is referred to repeatedly as a midfielder. But if you were starting a team in college, what other female player would you start your team with - someone that can excel at multiple positions and comes up big in big game situations (World Cup and NCAA tournament). Just a complete footballer.
Well it doesnt help that it's on a Friday night and has to compete with weekend sports to get coverage. Still, Who Won The 2012 Mac Herman Awards shouldnt be a tough question on Jeopardy.
Just looking more carefully at the video vignettes posted by lukephan of the Kealia's game winning goal against Stanford in the NCAA semis, two things really stand out. #1: Crystal's through pass was absolutely brilliant. In terms of placement and pace it couldn't have been better, but more than that, after receiving the pass from Katie her quick move back towards the center freed her up with an open path to the goal such that Kealia's mark had to leave Kealia to slow down on Crystal. This one move resulted in 4 (count 'em) defenders converging on Crystal and left Kealia all alone to receive Crystal's pass. #2: Kealia's communication and shot were text book... the kind of stuff that as a coach you would wish every striker would learn! First, during her crossing run when her mark lefter her to cut off Crystal's open path, Kealia altered her angle to stay on side and rotated to face Crystal -taking two steps backwards making it really obvious and clearly signaling with her body that she was open. (This kind of whole-body communication can be perceived by peripheral vision leaving the passer free to focus on the execution of the pass.) From the extreme power of the shot (it was a rocket) one could be excused for thinking that it was a classic instep drive, especially since she was running and reaching. (She had to get the shot off quickly as the best keeper in the college game with arms and legs outstreched was moving rapidly making herself bigger and closing the angles.) But looking closely and judging from the angle of her foot and her follow-through, the shot was a classic side-foot accuracy shot. Absolutely brilliantly done! Often, the beautiful game can be so satisfying to watch.
I too have looked at the film and you are spot on as to what took place. #4 the all American defender for Stanford was man marking Kealia when she shifted to take on Crystal it created the opening UNC needed to finish the game. It was a sequence where everything from the pass to the shot had to be perfect. So glad UNC didn't go into a shoot out, the Stanford keeper is outstanding.
Crystal Dunn's last six months U-20 World Cup Champion ACC Defender of the Year NCAA Champion Honda Award Winner 1st team All-American x2 Soccer America PotY Mac Hermann winner oh yeah, invited to the WNT camp
UNC is playing a friendly game against the NWSL Washington Spirit 3/30. Does anybody have any insight on where its being played and who will play for UNC?
The game will be at the Spirit's home field in Germantown Maryland... about 15 minutes northwest from the beltway up I-270 and then wiggling through Germantown to the 24-field South Germantown Recreational Park where the nice little stadium is in the middle.
I did a commute for 15 years up that stretch of I-270. If you are trying to get outside the beltway during Rush hour, triple that 15 minutes.