Aug. 8, 2007

MISSION, Kan. - Navy junior goalkeeper Lizzie Barnes (New Orleans, La.), the nation's leader in goals-against average (.292) and save percentage (.933) last fall, is among the 46 players who are included in the Women's 2007 Hermann Trophy Watch List released by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Wednesday afternoon. The Hermann Trophy honors the top male and female Division I college soccer players in the United States. The award is college soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy and represents the highest level of individual achievement in the sport.

A total of 26 schools are represented, including 14 institutions who have at least one player on the list. Reigning National Champion North Carolina put four on the list, including 2006 MAC Herman Trophy finalist Yael Averbuch. Notre Dame' Kerri Hanks, a rising senior forward, is among the favorites after winning the most prestigious award in collegiate soccer following the 2006 campaign. Florida, Portland and UCLA each have three players on the list, while BYU, Connecticut, Illinois, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M, Virginia and William and Mary each have two.

"When I think of the Hermann Trophy, I think of the honor and tradition associated with the award," said 15th-year Navy head coach Carin Gabarra, a 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist and former teammate of previous MAC Herman Trophy winners Michelle Akers (1988), Kristine Lilly (1991), Mia Hamm (1992, '93), Tisha Venturini (1994), Shannon MacMillan (1995) and Cindy Parlow (1997). "I am truly proud to have Lizzie's name associated with the most prestigious award in college soccer. She is, and always will be, a team player first, but her accomplishments have set an incredible standard of goalkeeping at Navy. It's a great honor for her to be recognized by the coaches on a national level as having one of the best goalkeeping performances in the history of the NCAA."

One of just three goalkeepers named to the 2007 MAC Herman Trophy Watch List, is the first Navy women's soccer player to be named to the watch list, as well as the first to represent a Patriot League institution. She helped lead Navy to a storybook season in 2006, the most successful season enjoyed by any women's athletic team in Naval Academy history. The Midshipmen earned their second NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four years, while producing a school-record 21 wins. Ranked 19th at the conclusion of the season, Navy enjoyed several memorable moments throughout the season, including a 4-0 Star Game win over arch rival Army, a 1-0 victory over No. 9 Penn State, the program's first win over a nationally-ranked team, and none will forget the Midshipmen advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament by way of penalty kicks against William & Mary thanks to Barnes making back-to-back saves on the Tribe's fifth and sixth PK attempts.

A 2006 NSCAA Second-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection, Barnes is Navy's first goalkeeper in program history to earn all-region kudos. A First-Team All-Patriot League selection, Barnes earned 13 solo shutouts in 2006, a Navy record, as well as a conference record. She surrendered just six goals during the season, including three during the regular season, while stopping 84 of the 90 shots she faced on goal. A three-time Patriot League Goalkeeper-of-the-Week selection, Barnes stood in goal for 859:23 without giving up a goal between Sept. 17-Oct. 29, a mark that will go down in the NCAA record books as the seventh-longest scoreless streak. Her 93.3 save percentage stands No. 1 in the Navy record books, as does her .292 goals-against average (11th in NCAA history).

In addition to her performance on the field, Barnes also excelled in the classroom where she was named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team. An information technology major who carries a 3.79 grade-point average, Barnes was one-of-four keepers to garner Academic All-America honors (36 student-athletes on three teams), but the only net-minder named to the Academic All-America First Team. As the 2007-08 academic year is upon us, she is ranked 83rd in academic order of merit among 1,100 students in the Class of '09 and stands 24th in military order of merit.

Players are selected to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List by a committee of Division I coaches who are NSCAA members. In November, the list will be narrowed to 15 semifinalists. Three finalists will be named in early December in conjunction with the NCAA Division I College Cup and will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club on Friday, January 11, 2008. The winner of the 2007 award will be announced during a nationally-televised news conference that evening.

"It's flattering to be mentioned among all of these tremendous players," said Barnes, who enjoyed her success in 2006 as a first-year starter for the Mids. "Honestly, though, it's a credit to my team. I wouldn't have received these awards without the play and support of my teammates."

An always humble Barnes added, "I don't play to win awards, I play because I have fun. We play for each other at Navy and everything else seems to fall into place."

"Defense has always been the backbone of our success," added Gabarra. "Lizzie has great organizational skills and her presence in goal allows her teammates to feel more relaxed and focus in on playing good team defense."

The Navy women's soccer team is slated to open the 2007 campaign on Aug. 31, where the Mids will battle Big Ten foe Iowa on the opening day of the Northern Illinois Tournament in Dekalb, Ill. Game time is set for 3:00 pm (Eastern). Meanwhile, Navy will open the home portion of its schedule on Sept. 4 when it plays host to Saint Peter's at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility beginning at 7:00 pm.

Season tickets ($60 - adults, $30 - senior citizens and youths, 17 & younger) may be purchased online at the ticketing section of www.navysports.com or by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY. In addition, fans may mail in a printable season-ticket form also found on soccer team page on www.navysports.com.

2007 Women's Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List
As selected by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
Pos. Name                       Cl.   School              Hometown
M    Ameera Abdullah            Jr.   Florida             Denver, Colo.
F    Danesha Adams              Sr.   UCLA                Shaker Heights, Ohio
M    Yael Averbuch              Jr.   North Carolina      Upper Montclair, N.J.
G    Lizzie Barnes              Jr.   Navy                New Orleans, La.
F    Stacy Bishop               Sr.   Florida             Land O'Lakes, Fla.
D    Rachel Buehler             Sr.   Stanford            Del Mar, Calif.
M    Paige Carmichael           Sr.   Texas A&M           Glendale, Ariz.
F    Kelsey Carpenter           Sr.   Texas               Allen, Texas
F    Lauren Cheney              So.   UCLA                Indianapolis, Ind.
M    Amanda Cicchini            Jr.   West Virginia       Oakville, Ontario
M    Amanda Cinalli             Sr.   Notre Dame          Maple Heights, Ohio
M    Danielle Collins           Jr.   William & Mary      Cream Ridge, N.J.
M    Lara Dickenmann            Sr.   Ohio State          Kriens, Switzerland
M    Christina DiMartino        Jr.   UCLA                Massapequa, N.Y.
F    Gina DiMartino             So.   Boston College      Massapequa, N.Y.
M    Sheree Gray                Jr.   Penn State          Tom's River, N.J.
G    Ashley Gunter              Jr.   SMU                 Lancaster, Pa.
F    Kerri Hanks                Jr.   Notre Dame          Allen, Texas
D    Jessica Harmon             Jr.   BYU                 Provo, Utah
M    Tobin Heath                So.   North Carolina      Basking Ridge, N.J.
D    Lauren Hyde                So.   Florida             Carmel, Ind.
D    Nikki Krzysik              Jr.   Virginia            Clifton, N.J.
F    Katie Larkin               Jr.   BYU                 Draper, Utah
F    Adele Letro                Jr.   Utah                Davis, Calif.
M    Allie Long                 Jr.   North Carolina      Northport, N.Y.
D    St	ephanie Lopez           Sr.   Portland            Elk Grove, Calif.
G    Jillian Loyden             Sr.   Villanova           Vineland, N.J.
F    Ella Masar                 Sr.   Illinois            Urbana, Ill.
D    Jessica Maxwell            Sr.   North Carolina      Colleyville, Texas
D    Kasey Moore                Jr.   Texas               Mission Viejo, Calif.
F    Kelley O'Hara              So.   Stanford            Fayetteville, Ga.
M    Yolanda Odenyo             Sr.   Oklahoma State      Uppsala, Sweden
K    Ashley Phillips            Sr.   Clemson             West Peabody, Mass.
F    Ashlee Pistorius           Sr.   Texas A&M           Bloomington, Ill.
M    Megan Rapinoe              Jr.   Portland            Redding, Calif.
D    Denay Riley                Sr.   Penn State          Washingtonville, N.Y.
F    Kylie Rossi                Jr.   Tennessee           Pennington, N.J.
F    Jess Rostedt               Jr.   Virginia            Kent, Ohio
M    Meghan Schnur              Sr.   Connecticut         Butler, Pa.
M    Marisha Schumacher-Hodge   Jr.   Boston University   Pittsburgh, Pa.
F    Meagan Snell               Sr.   Santa Clara         Arroyo Grande, Calif.
D    Brittany Taylor            Jr.   Connecticut         Campbell Hall, N.Y.
D    Sara Wagenfuhr             Jr.   Florida State       Colorado Springs, Colo.
M    Angie Woznuk               Sr.   Portland            El Cajon, Calif.
F    Claire Zimmeck             Jr.   William & Mary      Fairfax, Va.
D    Emily Zurrer               Jr.   Illinois            Vancouver, B.C.