kbalhermann-112916.jpg
Duo Repeats as Hermann Trophy Semifinalists
November 29, 2016 01:45 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University women’s soccer seniors Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence are two of 15 semifinalists for the 2016 Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy.
The award is college soccer’s version of the Heisman Trophy and represents the highest level of individual achievement in the sport.
Three men’s finalists and three women’s finalists will be named on December 14 at the conclusion of voting by NCAA Division I soccer coaches. The 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy banquet will be held at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, on January 6, 2017, to formally announce this year’s winners.
The duo are two of five returning semifinalists, joining Rachel Hall (Connecticut), Savannah Jordan (Florida) and Andi Sullivan (Stanford). Buchanan, also a semifinalist in 2014, is the lone returning finalist from 2015.
WVU, Connecticut, South Carolina and Stanford all placed two student-athletes on the list.
Three of the four teams competing at the 2016 NCAA College Cup are represented on the list, with Morgan Andrews of USC and Rachel Corboz of Georgetown joining Buchanan and Lawrence.
After helping the Canadian National Team claim Bronze at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, Buchanan and Lawrence returned to WVU and helped lead the Mountaineers (22-1-2, 8-0) to the program’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking, Big 12 Conference regular-season and championship titles and a berth in the 2016 NCAA College Cup, a first in the team’s 21-year history.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all that both Kadeisha and Ashley are on this list – they’re both incredible at what they do and how they do it,” Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “I’m so proud of them and everything they’ve done. They’ve developed themselves over the last four years, not only as great soccer players but also as great leaders. I couldn’t be any more proud, and I’m so happy that the national award committees have recognized these student-athletes’ hard work and successes.”
A native of Brampton, Ontario, Buchanan is a three-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American and the four-time reigning Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year. She has anchored a WVU defense this season which has posted a program-record 17 shutouts, the best mark nationally, and allowed just nine goals, also a program record. Buchanan has tallied nine points (3 G, 3 A) this season, including an assist on the team’s game-winner in its 1-0 win over Duke in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals on Nov. 26.
Since Buchanan joined the team in 2013, the backline has allowed just 59 opponent goals and posted 54 shutouts. A two-time team captain, Buchanan has started 88 of 89 career matches. She shows 25 career points (8 G, 9 A).
Lawrence, a Toronto native, is a 2015 NSCAA First Team All-American. She paces the Mountaineers with 10 assists, a career single-season high and the third-best season showing in program history. She also ranks No. 4 on the team with 16 points (3 G, 10 A); she scored the game-winning goal in the team’s come-from-behind, 3-2 overtime win against TCU on Nov. 6 in the Big 12 Soccer Championship.
A team captain, Lawrence has started 85 of 89 career matches and ranks second on the team with 61 career points (16 G, 29 A). The 29 assists rank No. 3 in program history, and she needs four more helpers to match the program record. Additionally, Lawrence ranks No. 8 on the NCAA active career assist leaders list.
Canada Soccer also announced the list of nominees for the 2016 Canada Soccer Player Awards, and Buchanan and Lawrence are two of 12 finalists for the Female Player of the Year honor. Additionally, WVU sophomore defender Bianca St. Georges is one of six finalists for the Canada Soccer Women’s U-20 Player of the Year.
Buchanan is the reigning Canadian Female Player of the Year.
Voting for the 2016 Canadian Players of the Year award is split between media and coaches. Voting is open now and closes on Dec. 8. The Canadian U-20 Players of the Year honors will be announced on Dec. 14, and the Canadian Female Player of the Year announcement will follow on Dec. 15.
Nikki Izzo-Brown & Alicia Riggins | Wagner Postgame | Nov. 14
Saturday, November 15
Nikki Izzo-Brown | Nov. 10
Monday, November 10
WSOC | Cincinnati Cinematic Recap
Friday, October 31
Ajanae Respass | Cincinnati Postgame | Oct. 30
Thursday, October 30
