Two Horizon League soccer players selected to the Hermann Trophy Watch List

Aug. 21, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - University of Illinois at Chicago junior goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja and Loyola University Chicago junior foward Michael Ferguson were each named to the 2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List. The list was presented by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) on Tuesday.

The award is considered to be college men's soccer's highest individual honor, as it is given to the sport's best Division I athlete.

Bubonja enters his junior season with 22 shutouts during his two-year tenure, including a single-season school record of 12 clean sheets a year ago. He also posted with a career goals-against average of 0.47 to earn his second straight First Team All-League selection.

In the 2007 NCAA Tournament, Bubonja kept three consecutive nationally-ranked opponents off the scoreboard en route to the Flames' first trip to the national quarterfinals.

Ferguson's sophomore season was highlighted by Horizon League Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-League and All-Tournament Team honors. In 2007, the Kansas native finished the year as the team leader in goals (15), points (32), shots (52) and game-winning goals (7), while helping the Ramblers to their first outright regular-season league title.

Fifteen semifinalists for the Hermann Award will be chosen in November by a coaches committee, and three finalists will be announced in early December. The winner of the Hermann Trophy will be announced on Jan. 9, 2009 at a press conference at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo.

The 2008 Horizon League men's soccer season kicks off on Friday, August 29.

NOTE: The complete Hermann Trophy Watch List can be found in the .PDF version of this release