Senior
Karo Okiomah of the High Point University men's soccer team has been named to the 2011 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List, released by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) yesterday.
The award is considered the highest individual honor in college soccer and the players on the watch list are selected by Division I head coaches who are members of the NSCAA. Okiomah is the first player in HPU history to be named to the list.
“This is an exciting time for High Point soccer and it continues a trend of exciting firsts for our program,” head coach
Dustin Fonder said. “Having Karo nominated for this prestigious award is a tremendous honor for him and it shows the great strides that we have made as a team. It couldn't happen to a better person. Karo embodies everything that High Point soccer is about.”
The 2010 Big South Player of the Year and NSCAA third-team All-American, Okiomah finished last season with 12 goals in just 16 games for the Panthers. He finished tied for the conference lead in goals and third in points (26). Okiomah has appeared in 48 games for High Point in his collegiate career and has scored 22 goals and dished out seven assists. He is currently second in the High Point DI record book for career points and career goals.
Okiomah is one of 42 members on the list and is the only representative from the Big South. He has also been named a third-team preseason All-American by College Soccer News.
The NSCAA will release a list of 15 semifinalists in late November, with three finalists announced in early December. The three finalists will be invited to the M.A.C. banquet in St. Louis, Mo., for a news conference on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, where the winner will be announced.
High Point is set to host Appalachian State this Saturday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m., in an exhibition match before kicking off the season the following week at Elon on Aug. 27, at 8 p.m. Admission to the match against the Mountaineers is free with fireworks immediately following the conclusion of the game.
