MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – One of the most prolific goal scorers in West Virginia University women's soccer history, senior forward Michaela Abam is one of 15 semifinalists for the 2017 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 Dec. 8 in conjunction with the men's College Cup semifinals in Philadelphia. The 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy banquet will be held at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on January 5, 2018, to formally announce this year's winners.
 
At least one WVU women's soccer student-athlete has made the semifinal list each season since 2013, and Abam, a 2016 NSCAA All-America Second Team honoree, is the sixth Mountaineer to make the list. Kadeisha Buchanan, a three-time semifinalist and a two-time finalist, won the program's first award in 2016.
 
"I'm so proud and happy that Michaela's hard work is being recognized; she earned her spot on this list," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "She displayed tremendous leadership all year on the field, and I'm happy she is one of 15 semifinalists for the Hermann Trophy. This recognition is a great cap to her four-year Mountaineer career."
 
A Houston native, Abam leaves the WVU women's soccer program ranked No. 3 all-time with 42 career goals and No. 4 with 100 (42 G, 16 A) points. She is the most experienced player in the program's 22-year history, having earned time in 95 career matches. Abam capped her four-year career with 79 starts.
 
For the fourth straight season, Abam led the Mountaineer offense, finishing the 2017 season with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists; she finished with double-digit goal totals in each season but her first. The 10 goals ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference, while the 23 points ranked No. 2.  Four of her goals were game-winners, the 53rd best total nationally.
 
The Mountaineers bowed out of the 2017 NCAA Tournament, their 18th straight appearance, with a 3-1 loss to No. 10 Penn State in the third round. WVU finished the year 16-4-3, 7-1-1 in the Big 12 Conference.
 
A 2017 Senior CLASS Award Finalist, Abam earned her third All-Big 12 First Team honor this season. The team co-captain also was named to the All-Big 12 Championship Team and the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team. Additionally, Abam was tabbed the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10.
 
In her four years at WVU, Abam helped the Mountaineers compile a 74-11-10 record. WVU earned four straight bids to the NCAA Tournament and finished as the 2016 NCAA National Runner-Up. The team reached the NCAA Third Round three times and the NCAA Quarterfinals twice. The Mountaineers claimed five Big 12 Conference titles and were ranked No. 1 nationally for nine total weeks.