ST. LOUIS (WNCN) — After winning the national championship last month, North Carolina women’s soccer can claim another accolade — having the best NCAA Division I player.
On Friday, forward Kate Faasse won the 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy, which is given to the best DI college soccer player as voted on by members of United Soccer Coaches. Faasse was presented the 10-pound crystal soccer ball award at a banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
The junior from Phoenix joins seven other Tar Heel women’s soccer and U.S. national team legends as recipients of the award. The program has won 10 Hermann trophies, the most of any school. Faasse joins previous UNC winners Shannon Higgins (1989), Kristine Lilly (1991), Mia Hamm (1992, 1993), Tisha Venturini (1994), Cindy Parlow (1997, 1998), Catherine Reddick (2003), and Crystal Dunn (2012).
Faasse led the nation in scoring this season with 20 goals and was second in the country in points with 44. She also led all field players with 2,300 minutes and started all 27 matches. She scored in both the quarterfinals and semifinals of this year’s NCAA Tournament and ended the event with four goals and three assists en route to the championship.
According to Carolina Athletics, Faasse became the fourth player overall since 2000 to win a national title while leading the country in goals.
The two other Hermann Trophy finalists were also from fellow Atlantic Coast Conference schools — Maggie Graham from Duke and Caiya Hanks from Wake Forest — marking the second time in three seasons that all three finalists were from the ACC.