Hermann Trophy Semifinalists

Men's Semifinalists for M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Announced

The winner will be determined through balloting of Division I coaches who are members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), the official voting body of the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy. Three finalists will be announced at the NCAA Men's College Cup, to be held the second weekend in December in Columbus, Ohio. Those finalists will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club on Friday, Jan. 9, 2004, for a news conference announcing the winner. A banquet that evening will include the formal presentation of the prestigious crystal soccer ball trophy to the winner.

The two players to make their second appearance on the ballot in as many years are seniors midfielders Sumed Ibrahim (Maryland/Tamale, Ghana) and Chris Wingert (St. John's/Babylon, N.Y.). Ibrahim is joined on the ballot by fellow Terrapin Abe Thompson (Maryland/Fairfax Station, Va.), a junior forward. Another ACC team placed two players on the ballot as well: senior goalkeeper William Hesmer (Wake Forest/Wilson, N.C.) and senior forward Jeremiah White (Wake Forest/Lansdowne, Pa.). UCLA also placed two players on the ballot with senior midfielder Adolfo Gregorio (UCLA/Hillmar, Calif.) and junior defender Aaron Lopez (UCLA/Santa Barbara, Calif.).

An exhibition featuring the current winners and past recipients of the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy is on display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y. Biographies of all 15 semifinalists follow.

M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Men's Semifinalists

Ryan Cochrane, Jr., D, Santa Clara/Portland, Ore.
Started in all 18 matches during the regular season...had 10 shots, four of which were on goal...scored the first goal during the Bronco's 3-1 victory over SMU...has guided the Bronco defense to 10 shutouts on the season and a 0.53 goals-against average... anchored the SCU defense that has allowed only 10 goals in 18 matches this season...named the WCC Player of the Week on September 8... earned LMU Fall Classic MVP Honors... named the Santa Clara adidas Classic Defensive MVP.

Cesar Cuellar, Sr., F, Connecticut/Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Has been a key player up front for Connecticut, scoring 87 career pointsŠ11th overall in scoring at Connecticut and sixth in goals scored (37)Šplayed in 71 career games, starting 68Š has three career hat tricks and 11 game-winning goals. Played in 18 games during the 2003 regular season, starting 17Šscored four goals and added three assists for 11 pointsŠhad the game-winner against Boston UniversityŠscored two goals and an assist in a 6-1 win against HartfordŠPre-season All-Big East and pre-season Big East Offensive Player of the Year.

Ned Grabavoy, Jr., F, Indiana/New Lenox, Ill.
Leads Indiana with 29 points (10 goals, 9 assists)...a team co-captain whose leadership has been invaluable to a young Hoosier squadŠscored 19 points during the Hoosiers' nine-match winning streak in the second half of the regular seasonŠ his 13 points (4 goals, 5 assists) tie for the most in Big Ten conference play...also leads the league in assists overall and in Big Ten matchesŠscored three points or more in six matches this season...has four two-goal matches to his credit, including IU's 2-1 victory over then-No. 5 Saint Louis... also recorded two assists in the team's 3-2 win over Penn StateŠ has assisted on three game-winning goals this seasonŠthree-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week...twice named to Soccer America's National Team of the Week... College Soccer News' National Player of the Week once... Offensive MVP at the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic...also was an all-tournament selection at the UConn Classic and Notre Dame's Berticelli Tournament.

Adolfo Gregorio, Sr., M, UCLA/Hillmar, Calif.
Leads UCLA in assists with a career-high 10 and ranks ninth in the nation as of last week in assists per game (0.67). He has also scored four goals for a total of 18 points, third-most on the Bruin squad. The Bruin senior is a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection and a third-team NSCAA All-Far West honoree in 2002. Last season, he earned College Cup All-Tournament honors after scoring the game-winning goal in the semifinals and then helping the Bruin achieve victory in the championship game. He scored nine goals, including four game-winners, and six assists for 24 points in 2002. Gregorio, a member of the U.S. Under-23 National Team, was selected as a pre-season All-American by Soccer America.

William Hesmer, Sr., G, Wake Forest/Wilson, N.C.
Captain of the Demon Deacons squad the last two yearsŠa pre-season Soccer America All-AmericanŠnamed to the Wake Forest adidas Classic All-Tournament TeamŠranked 28th nationally in goals against average (0.77)Šrecorded seven shutouts, including ones against Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia TechŠCoSIDA Academic All-District IIIŠis Wake's all-time shutout leader (20)Šsecond-team NSCAA/adidas All-America in 2002, when he earned first-team All-ACC honors after being ranked second in the nation in goals against average (0.65).

Sumed Ibrahim, Sr., M, Maryland/Tamale, Ghana
Was slowed by injury early in the season...has 26 career assists, third all-time at Maryland...seventh all-time for career points (76), including 19 points (7 goals, 5 assists) this year...was the difference-maker in six matches this season, either scoring the game-winner or having the game-winning assist...assisted on game-winner against Butler...scored two goals to help start a fierce rally over George Mason...scored game-winner from a tough angle against Wake Forest... earned a spot on Soccer America and College Soccer News Team of the Week honors...scored two goals and added game-winning assist for five points against Georgetown...headed in a corner kick for the decisive goal against Penn State...assisted on the game-winner against Penn...tallied an assist at Clemson... assisted on game-winner against Ohio State and then found the back of the net.

C.J. Klaas, Jr., M, Washington/Cherry Valley, Ill.
Selected a preseason all-American by Soccer AmericaŠstarted 16 gamesŠhas recorded three goals and a team-high six assists for Washington, both career highs Štied for second on the team with 12 pointsŠleads team with 42 shotsŠranks among the top-10 Pac-10 leaders in six offensive categoriesŠnamed Offensive MVP at the Portland Nike InvitationalŠ tallied two assists in Washington's 5-1 win over UNLVŠscored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute in UW's 3-2 victory over MichiganŠscored one goal and assisted another, leading the Huskies to a 2-1 win over Marquette en route to the Marquette Invitational tourney title, earning tournament MVP honorsŠscored game-winner in Kentucky game in the Husky Fever ClassicŠassisted both goals in the win over Fresno State.

Aaron Lopez, Jr., D/M, UCLA/Santa Barbara, Calif.
Helped UCLA achieve a team goals-against average of 0.33. The Bruins have recorded 14 shutouts in 18 games and have given up just six goals all year, one of which was on a penalty kick. Lopez was UCLA's team MVP last season and was the Offensive MVP at the College Cup after scoring the game's only goal in the championship match. His strike with 1:02 left in regulation sealed UCLA's fourth NCAA title. Lopez scored four goals last season, three in the playoffs. His defensive play during the year helped the Bruins post nine shutouts and a team goals against average of 0.76.

Chad Marshall, So., D, Stanford/Riverside, Calif.
Played in 18 games this season, starting all of themŠpicked up his first goal of the season against UC-Irvine and contributed an assist at California...tied for sixth on the team with three points...helped the Cardinal shutout then-No. 8 SMU and tie then-No. 22 Santa Clara, 1-1Šnamed to the All-Tournament teams at the Cal-Adidas Legacy Classic and the Microtel Inn & Suites/Hurricane Classic.

Guy Melamed, Jr., D, Boston College/Nofit, Israel
Preseason All-BIG EAST selectionŠSoccer America pre-season All-America honorsŠnamed to M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Watch ListŠregistered an assist on the game-winning goal against West VirginiaŠstarted all 17 matches this seasonŠanchored a defense that is tied for fewest goals allowed (14) in the Big EastŠa third-team NSCAA/adidas All-America in 2002Š an outstanding student who earned Verizon Academic All-District I first-team honors in 2003ŠAll-Big East in 2002.

Joseph Ngwenya, Sr., F, Coastal Carolina/Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Currently leads Coastal with 14 goals and 12 assists for 40 points...netted seven game-winning goals, including all four game-winners in both the Bradley Classic and Nike/Clemson Invitational, earning both tourneys' MVP... Big South Player of the Week in consecutive weeks... has broken CCU's career shot, goal and points records this season with 271 shots, 59 goals, and 148 career points... third in career assists with 30...leads the Big South in points, points per game, and game-winning goals, and is tied for first in goals and assistsŠleads the nation in points per game with 2.50... tied for fifth in the nation in goals per game with 0.88 and is tied for fourth in assists with 0.75...led the nation in scoring in 2002 with 27 goals and 63 points...2002 NSCAA/adidas Scholar Athlete of the Year, the first junior to earn the award... 2002 Big South Male Athlete of the Year

Abe Thompson, Jr., F, Maryland/Fairfax Station, Va.
One of the best offensive players in Maryland history, closing in on career records for goals (31) and points (79)...has 12 points (4 goals, 4 assists) despite battling a foot injury during the latter part of the season...decisive goal against No.15 Furman... put tremendous pressure on the No.1 UCLA defense, forcing a penalty kick that lifted the Terps to victory over the Bruins ... named Maryland/adidas Soccer Challenge Offensive MVP and ACC Player of the Week for his efforts against the Bruins ... registered a one goal and an assist against Loyola...scored game-winner on free kick and added an assist against Duke...touched ahead to Jason Garey for game-winning assist against George Mason...assisted on the game-winner against Georgetown.

David Wagenfuhr, Sr., M, Creighton/Colorado Springs, Colo.
One of eight Bluejays to twice earn first-team all-region honors, the first since David Wright (1997-99) ...two-time first-team all-MVC and MVC all-tournament team... seventh in school history with 25 career assists...third at CU with 86 career matches played ... Ameritas Classic All-Tournament Team ...one of three Bluejay captains Šonly Bluejay to start all 18 matches...leads the team with 40 shots...helped CU defense to eight shutouts, six in MVC play...contributed to 0.43 goals against average in Valley play ... CU's overall 0.68 GAA ranks among NCAA leadersŠscored CU's lone goal in a 2-1 loss to nationally-ranked Loyola Marymount on Sept. 7...assisted on the game-winner against Portland.

Jeremiah White, Sr., F/M, Wake Forest, Lansdowne, Pa.
The College Soccer News National Player of the Week on Sept. 1Šnamed to the Wake Forest adidas Classic All-Tournament TeamŠhas played with a broken cheekbone since Sept. 14Šscored seven goals and added three assists in the 2003 regular season, including two game-winning goalsŠhas scored 89 points in his career (36 goals, 17 assists) and have 10 career game-winning goalsŠenters post-season play ranked third on Wake's all-time scoring listŠwas an NSCAA/adidas third-team All-America in 2001Šfirst-team All-ACC and a sophomore and junior.

Chris Wingert, Sr., M, St. John's/Babylon, N.Y.
Missed only one game this season, the first of his career, while playing for the United States U-23 National Team (which will form the 2004 Olympic team)missed start against Connecticut (on October 15, a 1-0 St. John's win) broke a streak of 75 consecutive starts for WingertŠteam captainŠ three goals and three assists for nine points this seasonŠfirst-team College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District I and is on the ballot for national academic All-AmericaŠnominee for the NSCAA/adidas Scholar-Athlete Award and the NCAA Honor AwardŠnominee for Big East Defensive Player of the YearŠthree-time Big East Defensive Player of the WeekŠearned national team of the week honors from both Soccer America and CollegeSoccerNews.com during the season.

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