Virginia soccer’s Emily Sonnett named Hermann Trophy finalist

Virginia senior defender Emily Sonnett (Marietta, Ga.) has been named a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, marking the fourth straight season the Cavaliers have had a player named a finalist for the award. Three men’s players and three women’s players are up for the award.

In addition to Sonnett, the women’s finalists are West Virginia junior defender Kadeisha Buchanan (Brampton, Ontario) and Penn State senior midfielder Raquel Rodriguez (San Jose, Costa Rica).

The men’s finalists are Georgetown senior forward Brandon Allen (Old Bridge, N.J.), Creighton junior forward Fabian Herbers (Ahaus, Germany), and Stanford senior forward Jordan Morris (Mercer Island, Wash.).

The MAC Hermann Trophy is the highest individual intercollegiate award administered by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, and presented annually at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. This year’s trophy presentation and banquet will take place Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.

Named the ESPNW National Player of the Year and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Sonnett helped Virginia post a 19-1-3 record on the season and a 9-1 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Cavaliers claimed the ACC regular-season title for the second time in the last three seasons with the lone loss coming in double-overtime to then No. 6 Notre Dame.

With Sonnett anchoring the back line, the Cavaliers posted 15 shutouts through 23 matches, including 14 shutout victories and one scoreless draw. Throughout her career on the Cavalier back line, Virginia has posted 54 shutouts in 84 victories as the Cavaliers posted shutout wins 64 percent of the time.  In 2015, the Cavaliers allowed only 12 goals through 23 matches and allowed six shots per game.

Sonnett was named a first team NSCAA All-American and a first team All-ACC selection. She earned her first cap with the US Women’s National Team against Brazil as part of the USWNT Victory Tour in Orlando, Fla., on October 25.

Virginia had the MAC Hermann Trophy winner in back-to-back seasons as Morgan Brian won the award in 2013 and 2014. Caroline Miller was a finalist for the award in 2012, marking the first time a Cavalier was a finalist for the honor.