Displaying the depth of talent that led to the 2005 NCAA Division I championship, the University of Portland has placed three players on the women’s 2006 Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy Watch List. The list, announced by the Missouri Athletic Club, was compiled by a panel of coaches from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Although the Pilots lost two-time M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner Christine Sinclair to graduation, they still can look to a strong cast of young players this season. Juniors Stephanie Lopez (Elk Grove, Calif.), a defender, and Angie Woznuk (El Cajon, Calif.), a midfielder, are joined by sophomore midfielder Megan Rapinoe (Redding, Calif.).

Three others schools have two players each on the list: 2004 NCAA champion Notre Dame and 2005 Women’s College Cup participants Florida State and UCLA. The Irish are represented by senior midfielder Jen Buczkowski (Elk Grove, Ill.) and sophomore forward Kerri Hanks (Allen, Texas), both of whom were among the 15 semifinalists for the 2005 award. Florida State’s senior midfielder India Trotter (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and junior forward Sel Kuralay (Melbourne, Australia) made the list, as did Bruins juniors Danesha Adams (Shaker Heights, Ohio), a midfielder, and goalkeeper Valerie Henderson (Orinda, Calif.).

Two other semifinalists from last season join Buczkowski and Hanks on the list: Heather O’Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), a senior forward for North Carolina who was a finalist in 2005; and Brittany Timko (Coquitlam, B.C.), a senior midfielder from Nebraska.

The winner of the M.A.C.’s Hermann Trophy will be determined in voting by NSCAA Division I member coaches. A list of 15 semifinalists will be announced in early November, with three finalists announced in late November. They will be invited to St. Louis on Saturday, Dec. 2, for the announcement of the winner at a press conference to be held in conjunction with the Men’s College Cup. Both the men’s and women’s 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.

Women’s 2006 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List
Compiled by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America

Player, Position, Class, School, Hometown
Danesha Adams, M, Jr., UCLA, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Melanie Booth, D, Sr., Florida, Burlington, Ontario
Laura Boyer, K, Jr., Marquette, Overland Park, Kan.
Jen Buczkowski, M, Sr., Notre Dame, Elk Grove, Ill.
Ali Christoph, M, Sr., Tennessee, Columbus, Ohio
Niki Cross, F, Sr., Connecticut, Pembroke, Mass.
Marian Dalmy, D, Sr., Santa Clara, Lakewood, Colo.
Holly Gault, D, Sr., Kansas, Spring Hill, Kan.
Laura Georges, D, Sr., Boston College, Versailles, France
Tyler Griffin, K, Sr., Vanderbilt, Charlotte, N.C.
Kerri Hanks, F, So., Notre Dame, Allen, Texas
Valerie Henderson, K, Jr., UCLA, Orinda, Calif.
Christina Huang, D, Sr., Yale, Potomac, Md.
Ali Krieger, M, Sr., Penn State, Dumfries, Va.
Sel Kuralay, F, Jr., Florida State, Melbourne, Australia
Stephanie Lopez, D, Jr., Portland, Elk Grove, Calif.
Heather O'Reilly, F, Sr., North Carolina, East Brunswick, N.J.
Ashlee Pistorius, F, Jr., Texas A&M, Bloomington, Ill.
Megan Rapinoe, M, So., Portland, Redding, Calif.
Amy Rodriguez, F, So., Southern California, Lake Forest, Calif.
Becky Sauerbrunn, M, Jr., Virginia, St. Louis, Mo.
Brittany Timko, F, Sr., Nebraska, Coquitlam, B.C.
India Trotter, M, Sr., Florida State, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Sue Weber, D, Jr., Hofstra, Islip, N.Y.
Angie Woznuk, M, Jr., Portland, El Cajon, Calif.

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