Sophomore forward Jordan Morris (men) and senior midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta (women) have been named among 16 semifinalists for their respective 2014 MAC Hermann Trophy, it was announced Tuesday.
The MAC Hermann Trophy is the highest individual intercollegiate award administered by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, and presented annually at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. This year’s trophy presentation and banquet will take place Friday, Jan. 9.
Three from each the group of 16 will be named finalists in mid-December following a vote of NCAA Division I coaches. Soccer fans can also let their collective voice be heard by voting for their favorite player on the MAC’s website hosted by LockerDome.
Morris is one four Pac-12 players on the list along with Connor Hallisey (California), Khiry Shelton (Oregon State) and Leo Stolz (UCLA).
An All-Pac-12 First Team and Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team selection, Morris started all 15 games in which he played this season for Stanford tallying four goals, 14 points and a team-high six assists. He earned his second consecutive spot on the league’s first team, the first Cardinal to do that since Bobby Warshaw in 2009 and 2010.
His play helped the Cardinal to its first Pac-12 Championship since 2001, a No. 1 NSCAA ranking, its most wins (13) since 2002 and its best winning percentage (.763) since 2001.
LaBonta is Stanford’s leader in goals (13) and points (31) and is a 2014 All-Pac-12 first-team selection. Her play has been vital in helping No. 3-ranked Stanford advance to the College Cup in Boca Raton, Fla. The Cardinal (20-1-3) plays No. 2-ranked Florida State (22-1-1) on Friday at 4:30 p.m. PT (ESPNU).
In addition to her playmaking skills and overall scoring, LaBonta is fifth in the nation in game-winning goals with seven. In four matches, she scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory, with two of those (Oregon and Florida) in overtime. LaBonta scored the only goals in each of the second and third rounds of NCAA play, in 1-0 victories over Arkansas and Washington.
Stanford has proud history of Hermann Trophy success. The Cardinal had three consecutive winners from 2009-11, with Kelley O’Hara, Christen Press, and Teresa Noyola. In addition, Lindsay Taylor was a finalist in 2011.
Also among the women’s finalists is Sacred Heart Prep grad Abby Dahlkemper of UCLA. The Menlo Park native was one of three finalists a year ago after helping the Bruins win the NCAA title. This year, she was selected as the Pac-12’s first-ever Defensive Player of the Year and became only the second UCLA player to earn first-team all-conference honors four straight years.
By Stanford Athletics/Palo Alto Online Sports
By Stanford Athletics/Palo Alto Online Sports
By Stanford Athletics/Palo Alto Online Sports