IRVING, Texas – Four players representing American Athletic Conference men’s soccer teams were named to the 2020-21 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List on Thursday.
The MAC Hermann Trophy, presented by World Wide Technology, is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. This year’s award was pushed back to accommodate the seasons affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Winners will be announced on May 27 at the 2021 MAC Hermann Trophy Press Conference and Banquet taking place at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo.
Among the 34 men’s players included on the watch list are SMU junior midfielder Gabriel Costa and sophomore forward Papa Ndoye, and UCF junior defender Yanis Leerman and senior midfielder Yoni Sorokin.
Costa was tabbed as the preseason American Offensive Player of the Year on Jan. 25 as the conference’s leading returning scorer prior to the 2020 campaign. He tallied nine goals and 11 assists for 29 total points last season and was named the co-American Midfielder of the Year and a United Soccer Coaches Third-Team All-American.
Ndoye enters his first season on the SMU front line after transferring to the Mustangs from LIU. He was the 2019 NEC Rookie of the Year after scoring nine goals as a freshman, ultimately claiming all-region first-team honors.
Leerman was one of four defenders picked to the preseason American All-Conference Team after starting all 16 matches in 2019, tallying two assists and contributing to three clean sheets. Leerman was a first-team all-conference selection in 2019.
Sorokin joined Costa as co-American Midfielder of the Year last season after scoring five goals (two game-winners) while adding four assists in 16 starts for UCF. Sorokin connected on 2-of-3 attempts from the penalty spot to lead the Knights
2020-21 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List (American Athletic Conference Players)
Yanis Leerman, Jr., D, UCF
Yoni Sorokin, Sr., M, UCF
Gabriel Costa, Jr., M, SMU
Papa Ndoye, So., F, SMU