Aug. 19, 2008
2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List
Chicago, Ill.- UIC junior goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja (Belgrade, Serbia/VI Belgrade) was named to the 2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List that was unveiled by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Bubonja and 47 other Division I men's soccer players from around the country were named to the watch list for college soccer's most prestigious individual prize.
This marks the first time a UIC player has earned a spot on the Hermann Trophy Watch List.
The netminder, entering his third year between the posts for the Flames, has already had a decorated career in just two seasons. Bubonja has accumulated 22 shutouts during his two-year tenure, including a single-season school record of 12 clean sheets last season, while posting an impressive career goals-against average of 0.47.
Last year Bubonja played a vital role in UIC's unprecedented run to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, keeping three consecutive nationally-ranked opponents off the scoreboard en route to the Flames' first trip to the national quarterfinals.
Bubonja anchored the nation's top-ranked defense as a rookie two years ago, allowing just eight goals in 21 matches during the 2006 season as UIC registered the fourth-best team goals-against average (0.36) in NCAA Division I history.
His numerous career honors include being a two-time NSCAA/adidas All-Great Lakes First Team selection, a two-time All-Horizon League First Team pick, a 2007 College Soccer News Second Team All-American, a 2007 Soccer America Second Team MVP, the 2007 UMBRO/Chicagoland Soccer News Player of the Year and the 2006 Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year.
The Hermann Trophy is selected by Division I head coaches who are current members of the NSCAA. A list of 15 semifinalists will be selected by a committee of coaches this November, and the list will be pared down to three finalists in early December.
The winner of the Hermann Trophy will be announced on Jan. 9, 2009 at a press conference at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo.
