East Lansing, Mich  -- Senior Maggie Illig (Troy, Mo.) and junior Bella Najera (St. Charles, Ill.) are among the 43 NCAA Division Women's Division I college soccer players named to the 2025 Hermann Trophy Watch List, which was announced on the season's opening day (Aug. 14).Â
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Bella Najera
Illig and Najera are part of the corps of returnees that look to help MSU challenge for the program's third Big Ten title in four years. Both were All-Big Ten selections a year ago and were among both the Players to Watch as named by the Big Ten Conference and United Soccer Coaches prior to the 2025 season. Najera is the Spartans' top returning scorer (eight goals, 19 points) from a year ago, and Illig anchors a back line that all returns after a 2024 season in which it posted a 0.86 GAA (fifth in the Big Ten). Both are among MSU's six 2024 starters returning, and the Spartans also return two additional starters from 2023 who missed last year due to injury.Â
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The Hermann Trophy is presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club and is the nation's highest individual honor recognizing the National Player of the Year as determined by voting of Division I head coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches. Located in St. Louis, Mo., the Missouri Athletic Club has been presenting college soccer's player of the the year awards since 1986. It is named in honor of the late Robert Hermann, the legendary St. Louis, Mo., businessman and soccer executive who founded the National Professional Soccer League, the first pro soccer league in the United States which became the North American Soccer League. He was inducted in the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012.
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The 2025 watch list was compiled by members of the Division I Women's All-America Council from a list of returning 2024 All-Americans and First Team All-Region players.
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A total of 15 players will be named 2025 Hermann Trophy semifinalists on December 2 at the conclusion of NCAA Division I All-American voting. From that list, head coaches will cast votes, and three players will be named finalists. The 2025 recipient will be announced January 9, 2026, in a ceremony at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in downtown St. Louis, Mo.
 2025 NCAA Division I Women's Hermann Trophy Watch List
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K Olivia Bodmer, Jr., Rutgers Â
K Jordan Nytes, Sr., Colorado Â
K Kennedy Justin, So., Hawaii
D Natalie Bain, Sr., Xavier
D Hailey Baumann, Jr., Wisconsin
D Macy Blackburn, Sr., Texas Tech
D Ava Bramblett, Jr., Ohio State
D Caroline Castans, Jr., Kansas
D Gracie Falla, Sr., South Carolina
D Sallie Garner, Jr., Liberty
D Heather Gilchrist, Sr., Florida State D Maggie Illig, Sr., Michigan State
D Leah Klenke, Sr., Notre Dame
D Ashlynn Kulha, Jr., Old Dominion
D Faith Leyba, Jr., Colorado
D Katana Norman, Sr., TCU
D Cameron Roller, Jr., Duke Â
M Mia Bhuta, Jr., Stanford
M Sofia Bush, Jr., Iowa
M Irene Campos, So., Purdue
M Isabella Carapazza, Jr., Lipscomb
M Mia Casey, Jr., Colorado State
M Tessa Dellarose, Sr., North Carolina M Bella Najera, Jr., Michigan State
M Ally Perry, Sr., Mississippi State
M Xacret Pineda, Sr., Oklahoma State
M Ava Priest, Jr., Colorado
M Mandy Schlueter, Jr., Ohio State
M Erika Zschuppe, Sr., Florida Gulf Coast
F Seven Castain, Sr., TCU
F Katie Shae Collins, So., South Carolina
F Bella Diorio, Jr., TCU
F Jordynn Dudley, Jr., Florida State
F Izzy Engle, So., Notre Dame
F Kate Faasse, Sr., North Carolina
F Ginny Lackey, So., James Madison
F Maya Lardner, GR-5, Georgetown
F Kaitlyn Macbean, GR-5, Penn State
F Chioma Okafor, Sr., Connecticut
F Mia Oliaro, Jr., Duke
F Gianna Paul, Sr., Alabama
F Kennedy Schoennaur, Jr., Santa Clara
F Faith Webber, GR-5, Utah Valley
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