Aug. 11, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M junior Kristin Arnold and sophomore Bri Young highlight 45 of the best women's Division I intercollegiate soccer players that comprise the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List for 2009.
Ranked seventh in the preseason NSCAA poll released late Tuesday afternoon, the Aggie soccer team was the only school in the Big 12 to have two players named to the list.
Arnold, a selection on the 2008 MAC's Hermann Trophy Watch List, earned first-team All-Big 12 accolades in 2007 and was selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team last season. She was sidelined early in the year, however, after sustaining a knee injury. The Centennial, Colo., native redshirted and after A&M finished in the NCAA Tournament she played for the U-23 Women's National Team (WNT) in Northern Ireland.
Young was one of just 11 sophomores to make the preseason list and comes off of an exceptional freshman season at A&M. She earned several postseason honors highlighted by the Soccer Buzz Freshman All-America first team, Soccer America's All-Freshman first team and NSCAA/adidas All-Central Region team honors. Since last season, , the Castle Pines North, Colo., native played for the U-20 WNT in Spain and the U-23 WNT in Northern Ireland with Arnold.
The Aggies were also positioned No. 7 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Preseason Rankings released Monday and kick off with an exhibition match Saturday at 7 pm. against UAB at the Aggie Soccer Stadium. Following their preseason contest, A&M opens its 2009 regular season at home against No. 8 USC on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m.
Considered the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer, the recipients of the MAC's Hermann Trophy are selected by Division I head coaches who are current members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. A list of 15 semifinalists is selected by a coaches committee in November, with three finalists announced in early December. They will invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo., for a news conference on Jan. 8, 2010, where the winner will be announced, with a presentation banquet following.