Four members of the UCLA women's soccer team have been selected to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List for 2018, including 2017 finalist Jessie Fleming and 2017 semifinalist Hailie Mace. Also earning selection to the watch list are All-Region honorees Kaiya McCullough and Ashley Sanchez.
The MAC Hermann Trophy, presented by World Wide Technology, is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. This year's winners will be announced Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
Fleming, a junior midfielder from London, Ontario, Canada, was one of three finalists for last year's award after helping lead UCLA to the College Cup Final and scoring a goal in the championship match. The Olympic bronze medalist and Canadian National Team veteran earned first-team All-America honors a year after becoming just the fourth freshman in UCLA history to earn All-America acclaim. UCLA's playmaker, Fleming recorded six goals and eight assists, marking the second consecutive year in which she scored 20 or more points in a season. As a freshman in 2016, she led the Bruins in goals (11) and points (27) and was the Top Drawer Soccer National Freshman of the Year.
Mace, a senior forward/defender from Ventura, Calif. earned first-team All-America honors after an outstanding 2017 campaign in which she moved to the forward position and led UCLA in scoring with 15 goals and 33 points. She previously played as a defender as a freshman and sophomore and enters the 2018 campaign having started in 62 consecutive games for the Bruins. Mace earned her first international cap with the full national team this past April.
McCullough, a junior defender from Mission Viejo, Calif., was a second-team All-Pac-12 and All-West Region honoree in 2017, starting every game and contributing to nine shutouts. She also scored her first collegiate goal in a 3-2 overtime win over USC. McCullough earned second-team CoSIDA Academic All-District honors in 2017 and has 46 career starts in two seasons.
Sanchez, a sophomore forward from Monrovia, Calif., contributed a UCLA freshman-record 12 assists in 2017 and also added six goals, ranking third on the team in scoring with 24 points. Three of Sanchez's goals were game-winners, including the golden goal in overtime against USC. She earned first-team All-West Region and All-Pac-12 honors and was selected to Top Drawer Soccer's Best XI third team. Sanchez is currently starting for the U.S. at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and scored a goal in the team's 6-0 win over Paraguay.
The MAC Hermann Trophy Watch Lists are compiled by members of the United Soccer Coaches Men's and Women's NCAA Division I All-America Committees. Fifteen semifinalists will be named for both the men's and women's MAC Hermann Trophy near the end of the college season based on voting by NCAA Division I coaches and from those candidates, three finalists will ultimately be placed on the ballot for the coveted award.
Click here to view the full watch lists.