Four make the cut for a second time; Indiana, Maryland and Notre Dame have two each

Fifteen of the most talented men’s collegiate soccer players in the United States have been selected as semifinalists for the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, the official National Soccer Coaches Association of America Player of the Year award for Division I competition. The award is regarded as college soccer’s version of the Heisman Trophy. The 15 candidates were selected by a nominating committee of Division I college coaches. Headlining this year’s list of semifinalists are four players who were on last year’s ballot: C.J. Klaas, a senior defender from Washington; Aaron Lopez, a senior defender from UCLA; Guy Melamed, a senior defender from Boston College and Abe Thompson, a senior forward from Maryland.

The other nominations for the men’s ballot are: Jason Garey, a junior forward from Maryland; Kevin Goldthwaite, a senior midfielder from Notre Dame; Matt Groenwald, a senior midfielder from St. John’s; Brad Guzan, a sophomore goalkeeper from South Carolina; Will John, a sophomore forward from Saint Louis; Drew Moor, a junior defender from Indiana; Julian Nash, a senior forward from Creighton; Danny O’Rourke, a senior midfielder from Indiana; Ryan Pore, a junior forward from Tulsa; Gonzalo Segares, a senior defender from Virginia Commonwealth; and Jack Stewart, a senior midfielder from Notre Dame.

The winner will be determined in voting by NSCAA Division I member coaches. Three men’s and three women’s finalists for the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy will be announced at the 2004 Men’s College Cup in December. The finalists will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Friday, Jan. 7, 2005, for the announcement of the winner at a press conference. Both winners will be presented with the prestigious crystal soccer ball trophy at a banquet later that evening.

An exhibition featuring the current winners and past winners of the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy is on display at the National Soccer Museum in Oneonta, N.Y.

2005 MISSOURI ATHLETIC CLUB'S HERMANN TROPHY MEN'S SEMIFINALISTS

Jason Garey, Jr., Forward, Gonzalez, La., Maryland
Ranked third in the nation in scoring with 2.41 points per game…leads the Terrapins in scoring with 41 points on 16 goals and nine assists, both team highs…already has surpassed his goal output from last season (13) and trebled his number of assists (3)…is in the top four in the ACC in four statistical categories, including second in points per game (2.20), where he is fifth in the nation…his 0.94 goals per game average is tied for fifth in the nation…two-time ACC Player of the Week this season, including the final week of the regular season with all four Terp goals in a pair of 2-0 wins.

Kevin Goldthwaite, Sr., Midfielder, Sacramento, Calif., Notre Dame
Has logged two points this season…considered one of the top attacking defenders in the nation…part of a back line that has held opponents to only seven goals this season…named Big East Defensive Player of the Week Oct. 5 in his first week back after missing the first seven games of the season due to injury.

Matt Groenwald, Sr., Midfielder, Mt. Prospect, Ill., St. John’s
Has three goals and six assists (12 points)…scored one game-winning goal, coming in his only multi-goal game of the season when he scored twice in a 2-1 win over Kentucky Aug. 22, the Red Storm’s first victory of the season…he tripled his career goal total in that game…a first-team All-Big East selection as a junior after missing the 2002 season due to injury.

Brad Guzan, So., Goalkeeper, Homer Glen, Ill., South Carolina
Has stood in goal for the Gamecocks every minute of the 2004 campaign, compiling a 10-5-1 record and posting five shutouts…has allowed 18 goals, good for a 1.11 goals-against average…logged 90 saves and a .833 save percentage…awarded the mantle of team captain in only his sophomore year…a PDL All-League selection.

Will John, So., Forward, Kansas City, Mo., Saint Louis
Leads the Billikens with 24 points…has 10 goals this season, four of which were game-winners…answered the offensive call when fellow sophomore forward Vedad Ibisevic signed a professional contract in France only two weeks before the season…a remarkably accurate shooter, putting 63 percent (29-46) of his shots on frame…three-time Conference USA Player of the Week this season.

C.J. Klaas, Sr. Defender, Cherry Valley, Ill., Washington
Is second on the Huskies in scoring with 29 points…tied for the team lead in assists with five…eared Pac-10 Player of the Week honors Oct. 12 after posting a goal and two assists in Washington’s upset of previously unbeaten California, then had a goal in a tie against Stanford…became the first Washington player to be named first-team NSCAA/adidas All-America as a junior.

Aaron Lopez, Sr., Defender, Santa Barbara, Calif., UCLA
A mainstay in a Bruin defense that has posted six shutouts and a 0.82 goals-against average…has two goals this season, including a game-winner…scored the game-winner in UCLA’s 1-0 win over Stanford for the 2002 NCAA championship, where he earned Offensive Most Valuable Player honors.

Guy Melamed, Sr., Defender, Nofit, Israel, Boston College
Making his second appearance among the semifinalists for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy…has four assists this season…second on the team in shots with 28…vital part of a defense that has allowed only seven goals and has recorded 10 shutouts and has a 0.42 goals-against average this season.

Drew Moor, Jr., Defender, Dallas, Texas, Indiana
The anchor of a solid Hoosiers defense that has permitted a 0.59 goals against average and recorded seven shutouts…connected on both of his attempts to score both Indiana goals in an overtime match against Cal State-Fullerton in the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament, earning all-tourney honors…was first-team All-Big Ten last year…only NCAA tournament action last year was the championship game, arriving mere hours before kickoff after a stint with the U.S. U-20 National Team at the World Youth Championships…the Hoosiers have allowed 0.63 goals and posted 18 shutouts with Moor on the field…has started all 36 games he’s played at IU.

Julian Nash, Sr. Forward, San Leandro, Calif., Creighton
Leads the Bluejays with 20 points…tied for second on the team with six goals…leads the squad in assists with eight…tied for 20th in the nation with 0.50 assists per game…earned Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week honors Oct. 4 after coming off the bench to score his first career hat trick in a 4-0 win over then-ranked Tulsa.

Danny O’Rourke, Sr., Midfielder, Columbus, Ohio, Indiana
Scored the only two goals of his career this season, one against Oregon State and the other against Evansville…during his four-year career, he’s started every game he’s played in (75 and counting) and helped the Hoosiers to 42 shutouts and a 0.59 goals-against average…Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 27…named to the 2003 College Cup All-Tournament Team…two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection.

Ryan Pore, Jr., Forward, Mansfield, Ohio, Tulsa
Leads the nation in scoring with 2.59 points per game…has 17 goals this season, including three game-winners…tops on the team in assists with eight…on the verge of breaking the school single-season record of 49 points, which he tied as a sophomore…his five-assist performance against Evansville on Oct. 24 set school and conference records and earned him his second Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week recognition.

Gonzalo Segares, Sr., Defender, San Jose, Costa Rica, Virginia Commonwealth
Has scored three goals this season…part of a defense that has posted six shutouts and a 0.91 goals-against average…first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection as a junior…CAA Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.

Jack Stewart, Sr. Midfielder, Torrance, Calif., Notre Dame
Has tallied two goals for the Irish this fall, including a game-winner…anchors a solid Notre Dame defense that has allowed only seven goals this season, including only two in the first half of play…the Irish have logged 11 shutouts this fall…two-time All-Big East selection, including first-team honors last fall.

Abe Thompson, Sr., Forward, Fairfax Station, Va., Maryland
Second to fellow M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist Jason Garey in scoring for the Terps…has 10 goals and six assists (26 points) in only 12 games played…second season as a Hermann Trophy semifinalist…third in the ACC in goals per game (0.83), first in shots per game (4.50) and second in points per game (2.17).

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