Terp Midfielders Named Hermann Trophy Semifinalists
11/14/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 14, 2006
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Junior midfielders Maurice Edu and Stephen King are among 15 semifinalists for the Men's 2006 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy, given to the nation's top collegiate player. The returning national champions are one of three schools with a pair of student-athletes on the list of 15. Jason Garey was the first Terrapin to win the award in 2005.
Edu has been steady for the Terps as the defensive midfielder and has also come up with important points when Maryland needed them most. In Maryland's 2-1 come-from-behind win at Wake Forest on September 23, Edu assisted on the equalizer in the 79th minute. In 1-0 victories against Loyola and Duke on September 26 and 29, respectively, he scored both of the game-winning goals off of headers. He was named Soccer America Player of the Week for his performance following those matches. Edu did the same thing on October 19 when he knocked in his third game-winning header in a 1-0 win against Hartwick. In the Terps' 2-1 win against Virginia Tech on senior day, he scored the eventual game-winner in the 28th minute and then in the ACC Tournament, Edu dished out the assist on Graham Zusi's goal as the Terrapins defeated Boston College, 1-0, in overtime. Edu has recorded five goals and four assists for 14 points this season and was an All-ACC first team honoree.
King has yet to miss a match in his collegiate career and has started all 70 of them. This season, his six goals are tied for second on the team and his seven assists are tied for first. King was huge for the Terps early in the season, scoring 12 points in the first four matches, all wins. He exploded for a goal and two assists against UCLA on September 2 and earned ACC Player of the Week and College Soccer News National Player of the Week honors. King was crucial in the Terps 2-1 win against Louisville on September 4 as he scored one goal and assisted the other. Like Edu, he also recorded an assist in the Wake Forest match and he scored the goal for the Terps to salvage a 1-1 draw at North Carolina on October 6. King was named to the All-ACC second team this season.
The winner of the Hermann Trophy, awarded by the Missouri Athletic Club, is determined by a vote from the NSCAA Division I member coaches. Three finalists will be selected on Monday, November 27 and the winner will be announced in St. Louis on December 2.
