Senior midfielder Tanner Thompson and junior defender Grant Lillard were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, the NSCAA announced Wednesday.
Thompson and Lillard were two of 30 Division I Men’s Soccer Player named to the list. IU is one of only four schools to have two players on the list. The only other Big Ten player to be named to the list is Rutgers’ junior Jason Wright.
“Both Tanner and Grant are very deserving to be the preseason finalists for the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said in a press release. “They are both exceptional players and we are proud of the contributions they have made to IU soccer. I expect them both to have outstanding fall seasons.”
Thompson was a semifinalist for the award in 2014. Last season, both the NSCAA and Top Drawer Soccer named him Third-Team All-America. He started all 21 games for the Hoosiers and had three goals. He led the Big Ten with nine assists and was named First-Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Midfielder of the Year and First-Team All-Midwest Region.
Lillard has also been named one of the best defenders in the nation by a preseason poll conducted by Top Drawer soccer. He earned First-Team All-Big Ten and First-Team All-Midwest Region honors last season. He also started all 21 games for the Hoosiers and helped anchor a backline that recorded 10 shutouts. He also notched four goals and five assists.
The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer, given to one male and female each season. The winners will be announced Jan. 6, 2017.
The watch lists are compiled by the NSCAA Men’s and Women’s NCAA Division 1 All-America Committees, based on analysis of returning All-America and All-Region players, along with prominent newcomers.
Toward the end of the regular season, NCAA Division I coaches whose programs are current NSCAA College Services members will vote and the lists will be narrowed down to the top 15 players. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the selection process, by voting for their favorite semifinalist in November on the MAC Hermann Trophy website.
From the pool of 15, three male finalists will be chosen for the award. The winners will be announced in January.
Andrew Hussey
