The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Ruiz Named to MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
8/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB men's soccer senior forward Freddy Ruiz was named to the 2015 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, the Missouri Athletic Club and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) released on Wednesday.
Ruiz is one of 30 players from NCAA Division I to be named a candidate for the most prestigious individual award in NCAA soccer. The award is presented annually to one male and one female athlete and the winners will be announced Friday, Jan. 8, 2016 at the trophy presentation banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
The lists are compiled by the NSCAA Men's and Women's NCAA Division I All-America Committees, based on analysis of returning All-America and All-Region players, as well as any prominent newcomers.
The Fort Payne, Ala. native was just named to the 2015 All-Conference USA Preseason Team on Wednesday, and is the defending C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. He was tabbed an NSCAA All-Southeast Region First Team selection in 2014, and was rated as the No. 32 player in the nation according to TopDrawerSoccer.com.
Near the end of the collegiate regular season, NCAA Division I coaches whose programs are current NSCAA College Service members will vote on their top choices and the lists will be narrowed down to the top 15 players. College soccer fans will also have the opportunity to participate in the selection process, by voting for their favorite semifinalist in November at the MAC Hermann Trophy website, managed by LockerDome.
From that pool of 30, six finalists (three men, three women) will be chosen for the award, before the winners will be announced in January.
Ruiz and the Blazers open the 2015 regular season Friday, Aug. 28 at Memphis at 7 p.m. The home opener is slated for Sunday, Aug. 30 vs. Stetson at 5 p.m. at West Campus Field.
For more information on the UAB men's soccer team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MensSoccer). For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
