Bell Named to Hermann Trophy Watch List

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State junior Kennedy Bell (Charlotte, NC) has been named to the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List. The Hermann Trophy annually honors college soccer's top player.

This is the first time that the award has released a midseason watch list. Returning All-Big Ten selections Maggie Illig (Troy, Mo.) and Bella Najera (St. Charles, Ill.) were named to the Preseason Watch List back in August.

Bell joined the Spartans this season after two years at Maryland and has made her mark playing at a new school and a new position. Primarily a defensive player before coming to Michigan State, Bell is the Big Ten leader in goals (9, 14th NCAA), and her 22 points leads the B1G and is ninth nationally. She is first in the Big Ten in goals per game (0.075, 25th NCAA) and second in points per game (1.69, 24th NCAA.) Her 22 points is tied for 26th all-time in a single season at MSU.

Kennedy Bell Hermann

In Big Ten games only, Bell boasts five goals and 13 points. She is also first in points per game (2.17), while three assists rank in a tie for fifth. She leads the B1G in points in conference games and is second in goals.

On Sept. 22-23, Bell was named the Top Drawer Soccer and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week She scored MSU's lone goal against No. 4 UCLA (9/18), and then had a hand in every MSU goal scored in the run of play in a win over USC (9/21). Her brace against USC (9/21) was her first as a Spartan and the second of her career. She followed that up with two goals and two assists in the road trip to Minnesota (9/25) and Wisconsin (9/28).

Through 13 games in Green & White, Bell has tripled her three career goals that she scored in two seasons at Maryland, where her role was primarily as a defensive player. With 22 points, she is also approaching tripling her career total entering 2025 (9).

Navigating the toughest schedule in the nation, MSU sits at 6-2-5 overall and is tied for third in the Big Ten with a 3-0-3 mark, one of just three teams without a loss in Conference play. The Spartans go back on the road this week for games at Michigan (Thursday, 7 pm) and at Iowa (Sunday, 2 pm ET).

Players Mentioned

Kennedy Bell

Maggie Illig

Bella Najera

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