US men's national team, Stanford University and Seattle Sounders academy forward Jordan Morris is among 30 men's players named to the watch list for the 2015 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced on Wednesday.
Morris, a rising junior at Stanford, missed the CONCACAF Gold Cup after having surgery in late June to repair a stress fracture in his left leg, but is expected to return in time for Stanford's season. The first team all-Pac 12 Conference selection could miss significant time, however, with national team and Under-23 national team call-ups.
The Hermann Trophy, given annually to the top players in men's and women's soccer, will be awarded Jan. 8, 2016, in St. Louis. The New York Red Bulls' Leo Stolz won the honor last year at UCLA after New York City FC's Patrick Mullins won it at Maryland in 2012 and 2013. Other active former winners include Andrew Wenger (Duke, 2011), Darlington Nagbe (Akron, 2010), Teal Bunbury (Akron, 2009) and Chris Wingert (St. John's, 2003). Red Bulls general manager Ali Curtis (Duke, 1999) and NYCFC technical director Claudio Reyna (Virginia, 1993) also won the award.
This year's watch list for the men's award includes several of last year's semifinalists in Morris, Creighton junior Fabien Herbers, Notre Dame senior Patrick Hodan, Charlotte senior Kyle Parker, Indiana junior Tanner Thompson (the older brother of San Jose Earthquakes forward Tommy Thompson) and Georgetown junior Joshua Yaro.
Players on the watch list with significant MLS academy ties include Brandon Allen (Georgetown, New York Red Bulls), Callum Irving (Kentucky, Vancouver Whitecaps), Adam Najem (Akron, New York Red Bulls) and Chris Thorsheim (Bucknell, New York Red Bulls).
