Aug. 6, 2014
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Senior goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo has been named to the prestigious Missouri Athletic Club’s (MAC) Hermann Trophy Watch List, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) announced today on NSCAATV.com’s “2014 NSCAA College Soccer Review Show.”
The Hermann Trophy is the highest individual award presented to a player in intercollegiate soccer. Of the 35 players on the 2014 Watch List, D’Angelo is one of four who were semifinalists last season. The Gamecock is the first Hermann Trophy semifinalist in the program history.
“I’m thrilled to see Sabrina on the MAC Hermann Watch List,” South Carolina head coach Shelley Smith said. “I think she is most deserving of this honor and is one of the top goalkeepers in this country. She is a phenomenal player, person and teammate, and this is a great way to start the season.”
“Being listed as a semifinalist last year was humbling, and it’s an honor to be included on the Watch List for such a prestigious award,” D’Angelo said. “Without the team in front of me, I would not be in this position; I give full credit to all 30 of my teammates. Even though it’s my name on the Watch List, it’s a team award.”
The Canadian, who has regularly competed on the international stage as well, had one of the best seasons for a keeper in South Carolina history in 2013, recording 12 shutouts and posting a 0.59 goals against average while anchoring the Southeastern Conference’s top defense. Her 12 shutouts led the conference and ranked seventh nationally.
Last season, she was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career, after previously garnering the honor in 2011 when she was also named SEC Freshman of the Year. She was selected to the All-SEC First Team for the second time and earned postseason conference honors for the third consecutive year.
In two games against top-10 competition in 2013, D’Angelo stood her ground against 22 shots to produce eight saves and allow only one goal to help the Gamecocks defeat two top-10 opponents in a season (No. 7 Duke, 1-0; at No. 8 Florida, 2-1 2OT) for the first time in program history.
With 17 wins last year, the Welland, Ontario, native has been in goal for the Gamecocks during two of the three most successful seasons in school history, including the 2011 team’s 16 wins en route to a regular-season conference championship.
The winners will be announced Fri., Jan. 9, 2015, at the trophy presentation banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
