Godfrey named semifinalist for MAC Hermann Trophy

jerryratcliffe.com

Posted on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, 12:32 pm

Follow Jerry Ratcliffe on Twitter

Advertising inquiries: Connect with us

Email Jerry Ratcliffe: jratcliffe7000@gmail.com

 

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia midfielder Lia Godfrey (22) is a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. (Photo: UVA Athletics)

Junior midfielder Lia Godfrey has been named one of 15 semifinalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy honoring the national Player of the Year it was announced by the United Soccer Coaches and the Missouri Athletic Club on Wednesday.

The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer and has been awarded annually since 1967.

Three women’s finalists will be named for the award on Wednesday, Dec. 7. The 2022 MAC Hermann Trophy banquet will be held at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Jan. 6, 2023 to formally announce this year’s winners.

Godfrey is a semifinalist for the first time and it is the second straight season for the Cavaliers to have a semifinalist for the award as Diana Ordoñez was a semifinalist for the award a year ago. Godfrey is the most recent Virginia player to be a semifinalist for the award, joining program alums Ordoñez (2021) and Alexis Shaffer (2016) as semifinalists. Virginia has also had a finalist for the award in six other seasons, including two-time MAC Hermann Trophy winner Morgan Brian (2013, 2014).

Godfrey earned All-Region first team honors from the United Soccer Coaches for the third consecutive year with her selection this season. She was a first team All-ACC selection to earn her third straight All-ACC honor this season as she tallied eight goals and five assists on the year. She tied for second on the team in goals with Spaanstra and second in assists with Spaanstra and Hopkins. Godfrey hit three game-winning goals on the year with the winning strikes coming at No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Duke and against Xavier in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

She is a two-time All-America selection and ranks among the top-20 active NCAA Division I players in career assists as a junior and is 12th among all active DI players in assists per game (0.39) for her career. She helped Virginia advance to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time as the Cavaliers made a 29th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 35th total appearance as a program this season.