Eight repeat from last year, including 2004's three finalists

All three finalists from the 2004 vote return to the ballot as semifinalists for the 2005 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.

Leading the list of 15 candidates are last year's three finalists: Christine Sinclair, a senior forward from Portland who won the award in 2004, Heather O'Reilly, a junior forward from North Carolina; and Tiffany Weimer, a senior forward from Penn State.

A total of eight players are making their second appearance among the 15 semifinalists, who were selected by a nominating committee of Division I college coaches. The returnees include last year's three finalists, plus Lori Chalupny, a senior midfielder from North Carolina; Lindsey Huie, a senior midfielder from Portland; Lindsay Tarpley, a senior forward from North Carolina; Katie Thorlakson, a senior forward from Notre Dame; and Brittany Timko, a junior forward from Nebraska.

Notre Dame, the reigning national champion, received the lion's share of representatives, placing four athletes on the ballot.

Sinclair is attempting to become only the third player to capture back-to-back awards. Mia Hamm (1992-93) and Cindy Parlow (1997-98), both of North Carolina, are the only others to achieve the feat.

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 2005 Men’s College Cup on Dec. 9. The finalists will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, for the announcement of the winner at a press conference which will be telecast live by ESPNews. Both winners will be presented 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 HERMANN TROPHY WOMEN'S SEMIFINALISTS

Jen Buczkowski, Jr., Midfielder, Elk Grove, Ill., Notre Dame
Has started in 21 of Note Dame's 23 matches this season...has seven goals and seven assists for 21 points...has taken 30 shots...recorded two game-winning goals…Big East Midfielder of the Year.

Lori Chalupny, Sr. Midfielder, St. Louis, Mo., North Carolina
Has nine goals and nine assists for the Tar Heels...has registered five game-winning goals...tied with Heather O'Reilly for team lead in shots with 70...three-time first-team All-ACC…2004 NSCAA/adidas All-America first team member...making her second appearance on the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalists list.

Candace Chapman, Sr., Defender, Ajax, Ontario, Notre Dame
Helped anchor a Notre Dame defense that has allowed just 10 goals in 23 matches this season and posted 17 shutouts...has started all 23 matches for the Fighting Irish...recorded two goals and added nine assists on 30 shots…earned Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Kerri Hanks, Fr., Forward, Allen, Texas, Notre Dame
Tied for the team lead in scoring (67 points) with fellow M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist Katie Thorlakson...her 26 goals are two shy of the team single season record...registered two hat tricks...has already set a team single season record with 128 shots…Big East Rookie of the Year.

Sarah Huffman, Sr., Midfielder, Flower Mound, Texas, Virginia
Fourth on team in scoring with four goals and seven assists for 15 points...tied a career high with two assists against Richmond...has recorded two game-wining goals...named a first-team All-ACC for third consecutive season...co-MVP of 2004 ACC Tournament.

Lindsey Huie, Sr., Midfielder, Mission Viejo, Calif., Portland
Fourth on the Pilots in scoring (20 pts.)...four-time All-West Coast Conference first team selection...leads WCC and is among the NCAA leaders with 14 assists...2004 NSCAA/adidas All-America first team member...member of the U.S. Women's U-21 National Team, earning her first cap at the 2005 Algarve Cup...making her second appearance on the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalists list.

Erin McLeod, Sr., Goalkeeper, Vancouver, B.C., Penn State
Has been the anchor of a Penn State defense that registered 11 shutouts and allowed 18 goals in 21 matches...shut out half of the Nittany Lions' Big Ten Conference opponents en route to the team's eighth consecutive league title...shut out then-No. 3 UCLA on the road...has a 0.85 goals against average this season...named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 12...first-team All-Big Ten.

Iris Mora, Sr., Forward, Cancun, Mexico, UCLA
Ranks third on the Bruins in scoring with 29 points...has four game-winning goals...established the school record for career assists in registering her 28th in a 4-0 victory over St. Mary's Sept. 18...her 11 assists leads the Pac-10...named Pac-10 Player of the Week Sept. 20 after assisting on the game-winning goal in a 2-1 overtime victory against No. 4 Santa Clara...second-team All-Pac-10 selection.

Heather O’Reilly, Jr., Forward, East Brunswick, N.J., North Carolina
Leads the team with 70 shots...has accumulated 43 points on 17 goals and nine assists...named 2005 ACC Offensive Player of the Year...twice named to All-ACC first-team...2004 first-team NSCAA/adidas All-America...was the youngest member of the gold-medal winning 2004 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team… making her second appearance on the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalists list after being named a finalist last year.

Jill Oakes, Sr., Defender, West Hills, Calif., UCLA
Leader of a UCLA defense that has allowed eight goals in 22 matches and has registered a Pacific-10 Conference best 15 shutouts...ranks fifth on the Bruins in scoring with 10 points...first-team All-Pac 10...2004 NSCAA/adidas All-America second-team selection.

Christine Sinclair, Sr., Forward, Burnaby, B.C., Portland
Leads the Pilots and NCAA with 37 goals and 87 points…the 37 goals ties the NCAA single season goals record...has 11 game-winning goals...named West Coast Conference Player of the Year for third time in 2005...was league's Player of the Month for October after scoring 11 goals in the month...2004 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner...one of 24 women's players on the short list for FIFA Player of the Year... member of the Canadian National Team since 2000…three-time first-team NSCAA/adidas All-America.

Lindsay Tarpley, Sr., Forward, Kalamazoo, Mich., North Carolina
Has 12 goals and 11 assists this season… three-time All-ACC selection...was a finalist for the M.A.C.’s Hermann Trophy in 2003, when she was edged out by teammate Cat Reddick…making her third appearance on the semifinalists list...a member of the gold medal-winning 2004 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team.

Katie Thorlakson, Sr., Forward, Langley, B.C., Notre Dame
Tied for team lead in scoring (with Kerri Hanks) with 67 points...has 31 assists, best in the nation...currently has scored in 12 straight games...recorded 68 shots...two-time Big East Offensive Player of the Year…2004 NSCAA/adidas All-America second-team selection...member of the Canadian National Team...making second appearance on the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalists list.

Brittany Timko, Jr., Midfielder, Coquitlam, B.C., Nebraska
Leads the team with 10 goals and 20 assists for 40 points...has played every minute of14 of the Huskers' 21 matches this season...named Big 12 Conference Player of the Year for second consecutive season, becoming only second player in league history to win the honor more than once....also repeated as a first-team All-Big 12 selection...started all six matches for Canada in the 2003 Women's World Cup...second appearance on the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist list.

Tiffany Weimer, Sr., Forward, North Haven, Conn., Penn State
Team-leading 28 goals set the Big Ten Conference record for a single season...owns share of NCAA record for consecutive games with at least one goal (17)...named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year for second consecutive season...has 10 game-winning goals...helped lead the Nittany Lions to their eighth consecutive Big Ten regular-season championship…a four-time Big Ten Player of the Week this season…two-time first-team NSCAA/adidas All-America...making her second appearance on the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalists list after being named a finalist last year.

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