Three members of the defending NCAA Division I national champions and the reigning holder of the award are among the 15 players who have been named semifinalists for the men's 2008 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy.

Wake Forest, the 2007 NCAA Division I men's champion, is the only school with multiple sections to the list, with three players: Cody Arnoux (Wilmington, N.C.), Sam Cronin (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and Marcus Tracy (Newtown, Conn.).

Making a return to the semifinalists list is O'Brian White (Connecticut/Scarborough, Ontario). The 2007 MAC Hermann Trophy recipients, he is attempting to become the first men's repeat winner since Virginia's Mike Fisher claimed the award in 1995 and 1996. Only two other men have won the award in consecutive years, both from Saint Louis University: Al Trost (1971 and 1972) and Mike Sweeney (1973 and 1974).

Division I college head coaches who are current members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) will vote to determine the 2008 MAC Hermann Trophy recipient. Three finalists for the award will be announced on Friday, Dec. 12. They will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis for a news conference on Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, where the winner will be announced. A dinner and formal presentation of the award will follow the news conference that evening.

Men's 2008 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Semifinalists

Statistics through Nov. 23

Andre Akpan
F, Jr., Harvard, Grand Prairie, Texas
23rd in the nation in points per game (1.53)…led the Ivy League with 24 points…three-time all-conference…started all 17 games this season…added a goal in NCAA first-round action to boost his season totals to 10 goals and 26 points...puts nearly 53 percent of his shots on frame (27-51).

Cody Arnoux
F, Jr., Wake Forest, Wilmington, N.C.
17th in the nation in points per game (1.65)…tied for 15th in the nation in goals per game (0.70)…a two-time first-team All-ACC selection…has 14 goals and five assists for 33 points…was second in the ACC in points and led the league in goals…scored 13 goals in a 10-game stretch, including eight in ACC play.

Alejandro Bedoya
M, Sr., Boston College, Weston, Fla.
NSCAA National Player of the Week (Sept. 24)…first-team All-ACC selection…led the ACC in conference play with 35 shots and was second in points (16), points per game (2.00), goals (six), goals per game (0.75) assists (four) and assists per game (0.50)…injury kept him out of five games this year…in 15 games, he scored six goals and had five assists for 17 points to lead the team.

Jovan Bubonja
GK, Jr., Illinois-Chicago, Belgrade, Serbia
23rd in the nation in goals against average (0.669)…earned first-team All-Horizon League honors while helping the Flames to a ranking as high as No. 7 during the regular season…a two-time league Goalkeeper of the Year…has posted eight shutouts this season with a record of 12-3-4…has made 53 saves and allowed only 14 goals.

Sam Cronin
M, Sr., Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Two-time first-team All-ACC selection…has scored eight goals and served up four assists for 20 points…three of his goals have been game-winners…has started every game of his career at Wake, setting the school record for most starts.

Doug DeMartin
F, Sr., Michigan State, Mason, Mich.
Fifth in the nation in points per game (1.95)…fourth in the nation in goals per game (0.89)…named the Big Ten Player of the Year…third in the nation in goals (17) and points (37)…sparked the Spartans to the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles…his 37 points is more than triple that of his closest teammate…six of his 17 goals have been game-winners.

Omar Gonzalez
D/F, Jr., Maryland, Dallas, Texas
First-team All-ACC selection…anchored a Terrapin back line that allowed only 17 goals in 18 games…the 2007 ACC Defensive Player of the Year…has scored four goals and served up one assist for nine points…tallied one game-winning goal this season.

Andrei Gotsmanov
M, Sr., Creighton, Eagan, Minn.
The Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year…has scored nine goals and added two assists for a total of 20 points…three of his goals have been game-winners…a two-time MVC Player of the Week…earned MVC Tournament MVP honors as the Bluejays won their 11th MVC Tournament title.

Mike Grella
F, Sr., Duke, Glen Cove, N.Y.
Ninth in the nation in points per game (1.89)…tied for 11th in the nation in goals per game (0.74)…a three-time first-team All-ACC selection…the 2008 ACC Offensive Player of the Year…his 36 points is triple that of the next closest teammate…has 14 goals and eight assists…scored four game-winners this season.

Chris Pontius
F, Sr., UC-Santa Barbara, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Two-time first team All-Big West selection…25th in the nation in points per game (1.52)…tied for 18th in the nation in goals per game (0.67)…had a career high 14 goals this season, along with four assists…led the league with 32 points…ranks fifth in UCSB history with 29 career goals.

Brad Ring
M, Sr., Indiana, Rockford, Ill.
Two-time first team All-Big Ten selection…missed the last three games of the season due to injury…played a major role in helping the Hoosiers post five shutouts this season, including four against ranked opponents…started 14 games and had one assist.

Chris Salvaggione
F, Sr., Charlotte, Monument, Colo.
Fourth in the nation in points per game (2.00)…ninth in the nation in goals per game (0.79)…Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year…two-time first team All-Atlantic 10 selection…led the league in goals (15) and points (38)…two-time A-10 Player of the Week this year…had two-goal games against Winthrop, Duquesne and St. Bonaventure.

Marcus Tracy
F, Sr., Wake Forest, Newtown, Conn.
Tied for 21st in the nation in points per game (1.55)…first-team All-ACC selection…has 12 goals and seven assists for 31 points, including three game-winners…has put more than 60 percent of his shots on goal (29 of 48)…scored at least one goal in each of the first six games of the season…was in the top five in the ACC in points (29, 3T), goals (11, 4T) and assists (7, 5T).

O'Brian White
F, Sr., Connecticut, Scarborough, Ontario
2008 Big East Offensive Player of the Year, repeating the honor he won last year…2007 MAC Hermann Trophy recipient…leads UConn in goals (six) and points (14)…a three-time first team All-Big East selection.

Steve Zakuani
F, So., Akron, London, England
Leads the nation in points per game (2.35) and goals per game (1.00)…Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, the fourth different Akron player to receive the award …has seven game-winning goals this season, including one in overtime that gave the Zips the MAC Tournament crown…has 20 goals and seven assists for 47 points this season.

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