The MAC Hermann Trophy Final 15 have been announced. Joe Lapira, Forward Notre Dame Greg Dalby, MF Notre Dame Jay Needham, Defender SMU Bruno Gaurda, MF SMU Mike Videira, MF Duke John DiRaimondo, MF SLU Andrew Boyens, Defender New Mexico Tally Hall, Keeper San Diego State Jarrod Smith, Forward West Virginia Dane Richards, Forward Clemson Stephen King MF Maryland Maurice Edu, MF Maryland Yannick Reyering, Forward Virginia Julius James, Defender U-CONN Charlie Davies, Forward Boston College Voting for the award, which is done by members of the coaches' association, runs through Nov. 22. Players can be judged on their performance in the first three rounds of the tournament. The award this year will be handed out Dec. 2, the day between the NCAA semifinals and finals. Discuss.
that's a long list of finalists! Davies the only guy not in the tournament on the list 2/3 of the finalists hail from ACC or Big East schools
Yep. Yep. Yep. 2 Players each from SMU, Notre Dame & Maryland. Jarrod Smith has had a great year. Josh Tudela from IU was on the Hermann Preseason watch list didn't make the final 15 list. Others on the Preseason watch list who didn't make the cut include, Ryan Anderson, F, Jr., Missouri State, St. Charles, Mo. Byron Dacy, F, So., Creighton, Omaha, Neb. Willy Guadarrama, F, Jr., Campbell, Cedar Park, Texas Michael Harrington, D, Sr., North Carolina, Greenville, N.C. Rodrigo Hidalgo, F, Jr., South Florida, West Palm Beach, Fla. Justin Hughes, K, Sr., North Carolina, Wake Forest, N.C. Andy Iro, D, Jr., UC-Santa Barbara, Liverpool, England Scott Jones, M, Sr., UNC-Greensboro, Dallas, Texas Phil Marfuggi, K, Sr., Clemson, Manalapan, N.J. Simon Omekanda, F, Sr., Penn State, Rochester Hills, Mich. Randi Patterson, F, Sr., UNC-Greensboro, Hackensack, N.J. Sinisa Ubiparipovic, F, Sr., Akron, Mentor, Ohio Sal Zizzo, M, So., UCLA, San Diego, Calif.
following not on the pre-season 25 list that are on the final 15. Mo Edu Maryland Bruno Guarda Southern Methodist Joe Lapira Notre Dame Jarrod Smith WV
Hindsight is always 20-20. Here's a fun prediction: Of all the names mentioned, which will go on to make the most impact at the pro level? The easy first choice is Charlie Davies, who barring injury seems the most likely to succeed. I'll throw in Sal Zizzo of UCLA, whose athleticism should allow him to make it at the next level. I'd like to hear others' nominations & why those players will succeed.
Wow, no field players from the West Coast make the top 15 list? And some of you wonder why we think there is an east coast bias. Yeah, yeah, we got a token keeper on the list. When was the last time a keeper won the Hermann?
Of all the West Coast players, the one with the biggest gripe to not make this list is Kevin Forrest of Washington. I guess 13 goals and an assist in 17 games playing in a conference that sent three other teams to the NCAAs and helping your team make the Big Dance just isn't worthy of a spot on this list. And that's not even counting what he did against Creighton Friday night. Seriously, that he is not on this list while Stephen King or Greg Dalby is, is a joke. And, of all the West Coast players, and all the goalkeepers in college ball, the one they pick for this list is Tally frikkin' hall? Chris Seitz, Jason Landers, Brian Edwards, Nick Noble, Matt Wideman, Chris Konopka, Billy Chiles - hell, Hall probably isn't the best GK in the West Coast, let alone the US.
Make that 15 goals for Forrest. Dalby and King should have been finalists last year. As a MD/ACC fan, I don't know Dalby's stats, but King had 15 and 8. This year seems to be a different story for both of them. It'll be interesting who they choose if ND doesn't make it to the round of 8. Lapira seems like a lock, but if they lose, a defender might get it. Edu has a shot, but only if MD makes the final 4. Vidiera could get it, but only if they win, in my opinion. Reyering could also get it...if UVA wins. This year is strange. There isn't even close to a clear-cut winner. A lot of people will argue that Lapira should get it, but i question his chances if ND doesn't make it far. Davies is a probably the best player in college soccer, but can you really give it to someone on a team that didn't make the ncaa's? This year's winner seems to hang on who wins the whole thing. If an underdog wins, I expect another final four team to have the hermann winner.
Being a WVU alum does not bias this post in anyway. or maybe a little. but Smith has scored 14 goals in just 15 matches along with four assists. He set the BIG EAST single season conference goals record in 2006 with 12 and the single season conference point record with 28. He has 32 goals in four seasons for WVU to rank to rank tied for fifth all-time in school history. Smith was named first team all-BIG EAST this season and was named the NSCAA national player of the week on Sept 27. and Smith is another reason for looking at LeBlanc for COY. He has gotten more out of that player than all three years prior.
LAPIRA--LAPIRA--LAPIRA He is mister clutch and an unbelieveable player. He proved it with a goal in the 44th min. He does not stop, running up and down the field and never gets tired. You have got to see him play and watch him hustle. No doubt for the Hermann.
Smith is a great player, but Lapira is just unstoppable. I think Smith having the stint this summer with the New Zealand national team may have had more to do with his production than LeBlanc. I still give LeBlanc the nod for Coach of the Year.
If anyone had a doubt before the Maryland game then you don't know... No matter what happens against Va, Lapira has proven himself with two game winners in the Ncaa's against tough teams who are fully aware that he is the "man" and still he gets it in the back of the net !!!!!!!!!!! Just because he is a junior should not stop him from giving the state of Louisiana two Hermann winners in a row----------Unheard of. Maybe more coaches should look down there in the bayou.