United Soccer Coaches announces 2021 Player of the Year awards for all levels

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — United Soccer Coaches announced the 2021 Player of the Year recipients across the senior college, junior college, high school, and youth levels.

Please note: The NCAA Division I men and women Players of the Year, which will be the MAC Hermann Trophy recipients, will be announced on January 7 in St. Louis, Mo.

Among the 18 athletes earning honors, one player is earning Player of the Year for the second time in their career. Amherst senior forward German Giammattei repeats as NCAA Division III Men’s National Player of the Year, having also captured this honor in 2019.

Out of the 14 collegiate student-athletes on the list, 11 helped propel their team to National Championships and three of those athletes earned most valuable player recognition in their respective tournaments.

Iowa Western Community College sophomore midfielder Giorgio Probo earned NJCAA Division I men’s championship most valuable player honors, Eastern Florida State College freshman forward Laura Cetina earned NJCAA Division I women’s championship offensive most valuable player in the tournament, and Pima Community College sophomore forward Francisco Manzo earned the NJCAA Division II men’s tournament’s most valuable player.

At the high school level, both St. Ignatius High School senior midfielder Luciano Pechota and Whitefish Bay High School senior forward Maggie Starker earned 2021 Player of the Year honors while leading their teams to state championships this year.

At the youth level, Players of the Year Miles Avery and Tyler Isgri have both earned national team call-ups, with Avery being part of various US Soccer youth national team camps and Isgri earning several caps as a member of the US National U-16 team.

Following are the list of the 18 players designated as 2021 Player of the Year recipients.