The finalists for the 2022 Women’s MAC Hermann Trophy hail from Notre Dame, Duke and Florida State
Korbin Albert
(Notre Dame, sophomore)
Albert scored 16 goals this year, more than any other midfielder in the country. Six were gamewinners, nine came against Top 25 teams, and 14 occurred in her team’s final 12 games. She helped the Fighting Irish earn their first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 2008 and came one round short of reaching the final four.
She grew up in Grayslake, Illinois, where she played club soccer for Coach Mike Nesci with Eclipse Select and spent 2015-19 in the U.S. youth national team pool. She has two brothers who played college ball, at the University of Cincinnati and Indiana Wesleyan, and a sister who currently plays at Olivet Nazarene University.
Albert would be the fourth Irish women’s soccer player to win the Hermann Trophy, and the first since Kerri Hanks won it in 2006 and 2008.
Michelle Cooper
(Duke, sophomore)
A previous Hermann Trophy semifinalist, the forward racked up 49 points, with 19 goals and 11 assists, in 2022 and is first women’s Hermann Trophy finalist from Duke. She broke eight school records, was the only player in NCAA Division 1 women’s soccer ranked in the Top 10 in points and goals, and was one of only two players with 10 or more goals and assists. She scored six NCAA tournament goals, a tally tied for most in this year’s tournament, to help the Blue Devils make it to the quarterfinals.
In addition to her success at Duke, Cooper scored eight goals for the USA at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship to win to win the Golden Boot and Golden Ball. (She and Albert were teammates at 2022 U-20 FIFA World Cup).
The Clarkston, Michigan native, played club soccer with the Michigan Hawks ECNL team before switching to the IMG Academy. She recently declared that she is giving up her remaining two years of collegiate eligibility to turn professional.
Jenna Nighswonger
(Florida State, senior)
The midfielder, also a Hermann Trophy semifinalist last year, wrapped up an award-filled career at Florida State with a career-best six goals and 16 assists. Her assist tally is the second most in a season in team history. Nighswonger helped lead the Seminoles to the College Cup for the third straight year, but they fell short in their quest to defend their title.
Nighswonger played youth ball for Southern California’s Slammers FC and has been part of the U.S. national team pool from the U-14 to U-23 levels. In October, Nighswonger donated part of her NIL proceeds to breast cancer research.
• The 2022 trophy ceremony will be held on Jan 6, 2023 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
MAC HERMANN TROPHY
2002 — Aly Wagner (Santa Clara)
2003 — Catherine Reddick (North Carolina)
2004 — Christine Sinclair (Portland)
2005 — Christine Sinclair (Portland)
2006 — Kerri Hanks (Notre Dame)
2007 — Mami Yamaguchi (Florida State)
2008 — Kerri Hanks (Notre Dame)
2009 — Kelley O’Hara (Stanford)
2010 — Christen Press (Stanford)
2011 — Teresa Noyola (Stanford)
2012 — Crystal Dunn (North Carolina)
2013 — Morgan Brian (Virginia)
2014 — Morgan Brian (Virginia)
2015 — Raquel Rodriguez (Penn State)
2016 — Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia)
2017 — Andi Sullivan (Stanford)
2018 — Catarina Macario (Stanford)
2019 — Catarina Macario (Stanford)
2020 — Jaelin Howell (Florida State)
2021 — Jaelin Howell (Florida State)
HERMANN TROPHY
1988 — Michelle Akers (Central Florida)
1989 — Shannon Higgins (North Carolina)
1990 — April Kater (Massachusetts)
1991 — Kristine Lilly (North Carolina)
1992 — Mia Hamm (North Carolina)
1993 — Mia Hamm (North Carolina)
1994 — Tisha Venturini (North Carolina)
1995 — Shannon MacMillan (Portland)
1996 — Cindy Daws (Notre Dame)
1997 — Cindy Parlow (North Carolina)
1998 — Cindy Parlow (North Carolina)
1999 — Mandy Clemens (Santa Clara)
2000 — Anne Makinen (Notre Dame)
2001 — Christie Welsh (Penn State)
MAC AWARD
1991 — Kristine Lilly (North Carolina)
1992 — Mia Hamm (North Carolina)
1993 — Mia Hamm (North Carolina)
1994 — Tisha Venturini (North Carolina)
1995 — Shannon MacMillan (Portland)
1996 — Cindy Daws (Notre Dame)
1997 — Cindy Parlow (North Carolina)
1998 — Cindy Parlow (North Carolina)
1999 — Mandy Clemens (Santa Clara)
2000 — Anne Makinen (Notre Dame)
2001 — Christie Welsh (Penn State)