Najera, Illig Named to Hermann Trophy Watch List

East Lansing, Mich  — Senior Maggie Illig (Troy, Mo.) and junior Bella Najera (St. Charles, Ill.) are among the many 43 NCAA Division Women’s Division I faculty soccer gamers named to the 2025 Hermann Trophy Watch List, which was introduced on the season’s opening day (Aug. 14). 

 

Illig and Najera are a part of the corps of returnees that look to assist MSU problem for this system’s third Big Ten title in 4 years.  Both had been All-Big Ten choices a yr in the past and had been amongst each the Players to Watch as named by the Big Ten Conference and United Soccer Coaches previous to the 2025 season.  Najera is the Spartans’ prime returning scorer (eight objectives, 19 factors) from a yr in the past, and Illig anchors a again line that each one returns after a 2024 season through which it posted a 0.86 GAA (fifth within the Big Ten).  Both are amongst MSU’s six 2024 starters returning, and the Spartans additionally return two extra starters from 2023 who missed final yr attributable to damage. 

 

The Hermann Trophy is introduced yearly by the Missouri Athletic Club and is the nation’s highest particular person honor recognizing the National Player of the Year as decided by voting of Division I head coaches who’re members of United Soccer Coaches. Located in St. Louis, Mo., the Missouri Athletic Club has been presenting faculty soccer’s participant of the the yr awards since 1986.  It is known as in honor of the late Robert Hermann, the legendary St. Louis, Mo., businessman and soccer government who based the National Professional Soccer League, the primary professional soccer league within the United States which turned the North American Soccer League. He was inducted within the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012.

 

The 2025 watch record was compiled by members of the Division I Women’s All-America Council from an inventory of returning 2024 All-Americans and First Team All-Region gamers.

 

A complete of 15 gamers will likely be named 2025 Hermann Trophy semifinalists on December 2 on the conclusion of NCAA Division I All-American voting. From that record, head coaches will solid votes, and three gamers will likely be named finalists. The 2025 recipient will likely be introduced January 9, 2026, in a ceremony on the historic Missouri Athletic Club in downtown St. Louis, Mo.

 

2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Hermann Trophy Watch List

 

Ok Olivia Bodmer, Jr., Rutgers  

Ok Jordan Nytes, Sr., Colorado  

Ok Kennedy Justin, So., Hawaii

D Natalie Bain, Sr., Xavier

D Hailey Baumann, Jr., Wisconsin

D Macy Blackburn, Sr., Texas Tech

D Ava Bramblett, Jr., Ohio State

D Caroline Castans, Jr., Kansas

D Gracie Falla, Sr., South Carolina

D Sallie Garner, Jr., Liberty

D Heather Gilchrist, Sr., Florida State

D Maggie Illig, Sr., Michigan State

D Leah Klenke, Sr., Notre Dame

D Ashlynn Kulha, Jr., Old Dominion

D Faith Leyba, Jr., Colorado

D Katana Norman, Sr., TCU

D Cameron Roller, Jr., Duke  

M Mia Bhuta, Jr., Stanford

M Sofia Bush, Jr., Iowa

M Irene Campos, So., Purdue

M Isabella Carapazza, Jr., Lipscomb

M Mia Casey, Jr., Colorado State

M Tessa Dellarose, Sr., North Carolina

M Bella Najera, Jr., Michigan State

M Ally Perry, Sr., Mississippi State

M Xacret Pineda, Sr., Oklahoma State

M Ava Priest, Jr., Colorado

M Mandy Schlueter, Jr., Ohio State

M Erika Zschuppe, Sr., Florida Gulf Coast

F Seven Castain, Sr., TCU

F Katie Shae Collins, So., South Carolina

F Bella Diorio, Jr., TCU

F Jordynn Dudley, Jr., Florida State

F Izzy Engle, So., Notre Dame

F Kate Faasse, Sr., North Carolina

F Ginny Lackey, So., James Madison

F Maya Lardner, GR-5, Georgetown

F Kaitlyn Macbean, GR-5, Penn State

F Chioma Okafor, Sr., Connecticut

F Mia Oliaro, Jr., Duke

F Gianna Paul, Sr., Alabama

F Kennedy Schoennaur, Jr., Santa Clara

F Faith Webber, GR-5, Utah Valley