UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State women’s soccer senior midfielder Christine Nairn (Arnold, Md.) and junior forward Maya Hayes (West Orange, N.J.) have been named to the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Watch List, which was announced on Monday (Aug. 13) afternoon.
The Hermann Trophy Watch List honor is Nairn’s third consecutive and Hayes’ first to begin a season. Hayes was a finalist for the award last year. Nairn and Hayes join Illinois’ Vanessa DiBernardo as the Big Ten honorees for soccer’s most prestigious award given to the top male and female student-athlete every season. The Hermann Trophy is akin to football’s Heisman Trophy and is awarded by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. Christie Welsh is Penn State’s only winner(2001).
Hayes was one of 15 NSCAA All-America First Team selections last season. The sensational forward scored 31 times with eight assists and 70 points, breaking the Penn State and Big Ten record for points in a single season, while also breaking every PSU sophomore offensive record in the process. Hayes, who led the nation in total goals and points in the season, earned NSCAA All-Great Lakes First Team, Big Ten Forward of the Year and All-Big Ten First Team laurels throughout the course of the season.
Nairn, the rock in central midfield for the Nittany Lion offense, garnered All-America Second Team attention. Nairn had a career-high 13 assists, leading the Big Ten in the category while scoring three times. Nairn ranks fifth at Penn State in all-time assists and is a three-time All-Big Ten First Team member.
Hayes and junior teammate Taylor Schram (Canonsburg, Pa.) were selected for the U.S. Under-20 National Team, which will be competing in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup beginning Aug. 19. Hayes and Schram will miss the beginning portion of the season because of their U.S. National Team obligations, but are expected to return to the Penn State program no later than Sept. 16 as the Nittany Lions host Wisconsin in their Big Ten opener.
Ninth-ranked Penn State opens its regular season schedule on Friday when it travels to No. 7 Virginia for a 7 p.m. contest. The Nittany Lions will return to Jeffrey Field on Aug. 19 as they host St. John’s at 2:30 p.m. Defending national champion and preseason No. 1 Stanford comes to town on Aug. 24 for a 7:30 kick time, which will be aired live on the Big Ten Network.
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