Noel, Petkovic Named to Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List
1/28/2021 3:03:00 PM | Men's Soccer
PITTSBURGH – Sophomore midfielders Valentin Noel and Veljko Petkovic were named to the 2020-21 men's Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List Thursday afternoon, as announced by the Missouri Athletic Club.
The MAC hosts an annual banquet to present the Hermann Trophy to the top male and top female player in college soccer. In recent years, the format has expanded to include the top three finalists.
The process of selecting a winner begins at the start of the college soccer season when a list of potential nominees is compiled by a nominating committee. Near the end of the collegiate regular season, 15 players whom the committee considers the best in Division I soccer are announced as semifinalists for the award. That list is then voted on through an online voting process by men's and women's Division I soccer coaches whose teams are current NSCAA College Services members.
The Mac Hermann watch list recognition is the first for any player at Pitt in program history. The Panthers head into the spring 7-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play, coming off a fall season where they won the ACC North Division Title and were named No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll Oct. 20, a position they held for five weeks. Pitt entered the ACC Championship Tournament as the No. 1 seed out of the North, led by attacking players Noel and Petkovic, who helped drive the team to Pitt's first ever ACC Championship final Nov. 22 against Clemson.
Noel, a native of Niort, France, finished the 2020 fall campaign as one of the best goal scorers in the country, leading the Panther offense in goals, points, shots and shots on goal. Noel finished first in the country in goals per game (1.14) and tied for first in total goals (8). He also ended the fall in the top-five in multiple categories, including game-winning goals (T-2nd – 2), points per game (2nd – 2.57), shot accuracy (2nd – 7.00), shots on goal per game (2nd – 2.00) and total points (2nd – 18).
Noel broke a school record Nov. 15 against Duke, scoring a goal in his fourth consecutive game played. The record is still active at six games, dating from Oct. 10 to Nov. 22.
Petkovic, from Nis, Serbia, finished the fall second on the team in goals (5) and shots on goal (11) and tied for third in assists (3). His total goals and total points were tied for fourth in the nation, while his .38 assists per game finished tied for eighth. Petkovic had two multi-score games this season, with the latest coming in the ACC Championship Semifinal against Notre Dame Nov. 18.
For a full list of nominees, click here.
Pitt begins spring competition Feb. 13 at home against Georgetown in an exhibition match at 3 p.m. The regular season kicks off the next weekend, Feb. 20, vs. Akron at home at 3 p.m.
At this time, no fans are allowed inside Ambrose Urbanic Field due to the ongoing pandemic. Updates on this nature will be provided on Pitt's athletic website and social media.
#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The MAC hosts an annual banquet to present the Hermann Trophy to the top male and top female player in college soccer. In recent years, the format has expanded to include the top three finalists.
The process of selecting a winner begins at the start of the college soccer season when a list of potential nominees is compiled by a nominating committee. Near the end of the collegiate regular season, 15 players whom the committee considers the best in Division I soccer are announced as semifinalists for the award. That list is then voted on through an online voting process by men's and women's Division I soccer coaches whose teams are current NSCAA College Services members.
The Mac Hermann watch list recognition is the first for any player at Pitt in program history. The Panthers head into the spring 7-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play, coming off a fall season where they won the ACC North Division Title and were named No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll Oct. 20, a position they held for five weeks. Pitt entered the ACC Championship Tournament as the No. 1 seed out of the North, led by attacking players Noel and Petkovic, who helped drive the team to Pitt's first ever ACC Championship final Nov. 22 against Clemson.
Noel, a native of Niort, France, finished the 2020 fall campaign as one of the best goal scorers in the country, leading the Panther offense in goals, points, shots and shots on goal. Noel finished first in the country in goals per game (1.14) and tied for first in total goals (8). He also ended the fall in the top-five in multiple categories, including game-winning goals (T-2nd – 2), points per game (2nd – 2.57), shot accuracy (2nd – 7.00), shots on goal per game (2nd – 2.00) and total points (2nd – 18).
Noel broke a school record Nov. 15 against Duke, scoring a goal in his fourth consecutive game played. The record is still active at six games, dating from Oct. 10 to Nov. 22.
Petkovic, from Nis, Serbia, finished the fall second on the team in goals (5) and shots on goal (11) and tied for third in assists (3). His total goals and total points were tied for fourth in the nation, while his .38 assists per game finished tied for eighth. Petkovic had two multi-score games this season, with the latest coming in the ACC Championship Semifinal against Notre Dame Nov. 18.
For a full list of nominees, click here.
Pitt begins spring competition Feb. 13 at home against Georgetown in an exhibition match at 3 p.m. The regular season kicks off the next weekend, Feb. 20, vs. Akron at home at 3 p.m.
At this time, no fans are allowed inside Ambrose Urbanic Field due to the ongoing pandemic. Updates on this nature will be provided on Pitt's athletic website and social media.
#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Players Mentioned
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