Photo by: Steve Branscombe
Ricky Lopez-Espin Named to MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
8/8/2017 11:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Lopez-Espin had 10 goals and two assists to lead the Bluejays with 22 points last season
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Creighton men's soccer senior Ricky Lopez-Espin is included on the 2017 Men's MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, the United Soccer Coaches announced on Tuesday, Aug. 8.Â
Lopez-Espin is one of 31 players on the Men's Watch List for the upcoming 2017 season.Â
A forward from Miami, Fla., Lopez-Espin tied for the team-lead with 10 goals during the 2016 season and paced the Bluejays with 22 points. His efforts earned him a spot on the 2016 NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Second Team as a forward.Â
Lopez-Espin also made the 2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team and the BIG EAST All-Tournament team. The forward scored five goals during nine BIG EAST regular-season matches and had two during three BIG EAST postseason contests.Â
The Shattuck-St. Mary's (Minn.) product owns 18 career goals during 56 matches played, including 43 starts.
Lopez-Espin is the first Bluejay named to the watch list since Fabian Herbers and Timo Pitter were on the list prior to the 2015 season. Herbers and Pitter were each named semifinalists before Herbers finished runner-up in the final voting.Â
This is the 12th time in 17 years that Creighton has had at least one player on the initial watch list.Â
In addition to Herbers, Bluejay greats Keith DeFini, Brian Kamler, Richard Mulrooney, and current Creighton women's soccer coach Ross Paule have all been finalists for the award. Creighton and MVC Hall of Famer and current men's soccer assistant coach Johnny Torres was honored as the 1997 National Player of the Year.
Near the end of November, 15 semifinalists for the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy will be determined by All-America voting conducted by NCAA Division I men's soccer coaches with oversight from the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men's Senior College All-America Committee. The watch list serves as a preliminary identification of candidates for the highest individual honor in college soccer, but all NCAA Division I players are eligible to be named a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist. Â The finalists (three men, three women) will be announced on Dec. 8 (subject to change).Â
The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer presented annually to one male and one female athlete. The winners will be announced Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, at the trophy presentation banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo.
Lopez-Espin is one of eight returning starters from a Creighton squad that finished 13-7-3 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The Bluejays are ranked No. 14 in the 2017 United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25.Â
Creighton begins practice for the new campaign on Wednesday and opens its exhibition schedule with a match on Saturday against SIU Edwardsville. Kickoff between the Bluejays and Cougars is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Morrison Stadium. Â
2017 Men's MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
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Lopez-Espin is one of 31 players on the Men's Watch List for the upcoming 2017 season.Â
A forward from Miami, Fla., Lopez-Espin tied for the team-lead with 10 goals during the 2016 season and paced the Bluejays with 22 points. His efforts earned him a spot on the 2016 NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Second Team as a forward.Â
Lopez-Espin also made the 2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team and the BIG EAST All-Tournament team. The forward scored five goals during nine BIG EAST regular-season matches and had two during three BIG EAST postseason contests.Â
The Shattuck-St. Mary's (Minn.) product owns 18 career goals during 56 matches played, including 43 starts.
Lopez-Espin is the first Bluejay named to the watch list since Fabian Herbers and Timo Pitter were on the list prior to the 2015 season. Herbers and Pitter were each named semifinalists before Herbers finished runner-up in the final voting.Â
This is the 12th time in 17 years that Creighton has had at least one player on the initial watch list.Â
In addition to Herbers, Bluejay greats Keith DeFini, Brian Kamler, Richard Mulrooney, and current Creighton women's soccer coach Ross Paule have all been finalists for the award. Creighton and MVC Hall of Famer and current men's soccer assistant coach Johnny Torres was honored as the 1997 National Player of the Year.
Near the end of November, 15 semifinalists for the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy will be determined by All-America voting conducted by NCAA Division I men's soccer coaches with oversight from the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men's Senior College All-America Committee. The watch list serves as a preliminary identification of candidates for the highest individual honor in college soccer, but all NCAA Division I players are eligible to be named a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist. Â The finalists (three men, three women) will be announced on Dec. 8 (subject to change).Â
The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer presented annually to one male and one female athlete. The winners will be announced Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, at the trophy presentation banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo.
Lopez-Espin is one of eight returning starters from a Creighton squad that finished 13-7-3 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The Bluejays are ranked No. 14 in the 2017 United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25.Â
Creighton begins practice for the new campaign on Wednesday and opens its exhibition schedule with a match on Saturday against SIU Edwardsville. Kickoff between the Bluejays and Cougars is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Morrison Stadium. Â
2017 Men's MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
| PLAYER NAME | YR | POS | SCHOOL | HOMETOWN |
| Marcelo Acuna | Sr. | F | Virginia Tech | San Jose, Costa Rica |
| Mo Adams | So. | M | Syracuse | Nottingham, England |
| Will Bagrou | Sr. | F | Mercer | Dacula, Ga. |
| Siggi Benonysson | So. | F | High Point | Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland |
| Tristan Blackmon | Sr. | F | Pacific | Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Cory Brown | Sr. | D | Xavier | Nelson, New Zealand |
| Antonio Bustamante | Jr. | M | William and Mary | Springfield, Va. |
| Mauro Cichero | Sr. | M | SMU | Norman, Okla. |
| Brad Dunwell | Jr. | M | Wake Forest | Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| Sam Gainford | Sr. | F | Akron | Liverpool, England |
| Jon Gallagher | Sr. | F | Notre Dame | Dundalk, Ireland |
| Tomas Hilliard-Arce | Sr. | D | Stanford | Matthews, N.C. |
| Paul Hoffmeister | Sr. | M | Utah Valley | Hilden, Germany |
| Niki Jackson | Sr. | F | Grand Canyon University | Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Tim Kubel | Sr. | D | Louisville | Stuttgart, Germany |
| Foster Langsdorf | Sr. | F | Stanford | Vancouver, Wash. |
| Grant Lillard | Sr. | D | Indiana | Hinsdale, Ill. |
| Cam Lindley | So. | M | North Carolina | Carmel, Ind. |
| Ricky Lopez-Espin | Sr. | F | Creighton | Miami, Fla. |
| Ian McGrath | Sr. | M | Evansville | New Lenox, Ill. |
| Chris Mueller | Sr. | F | Wisconsin | Schaumburg, Ill. |
| Danny Musovski | Sr. | F | UNLV | Henderson, Nev. |
| Wyatt Omsberg | Sr. | D | Dartmouth | Scarborough, Maine |
| Edward Opoku | Jr. | F | Virginia | Rye, N.Y. |
| Pablo Pelaez | So. | M | San Diego State | San Diego, Cal. |
| Frantzdy Pierrot | Sr. | F | Coastal Carolina | Boston, Mass. |
| Afonso Pinheiro | Sr. | F | Albany | Sao Paulo, Brazil |
| Albert Ruiz | Sr. | F | Florida Gulf Coast | Barcelona, Spain |
| Ryan Sierakowski | Jr. | F | Michigan State | McHenry, Ill. |
| Grant Stoneman | Jr. | D | Loyola Chicago | St. Charles, Ill. |
| Gordon Wild | Jr. | F | Maryland | Cologne, Germany |
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Players Mentioned
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