Virginia’s Caroline Miller named finalist for MAC Hermann Trophy

Virginia senior forward Caroline Miller (Rockville, Md.) was named one of the three women’s finalists for the 2012 Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced on Thursday. Miller is the first Cavalier women’s player to be named a finalist for the award, which is the most prestigious accolade in collegiate soccer.

Miller joins Crystal Dunn of North Carolina and Christine Nairn of Penn State as this year’s women’s finalists. Ryan Finley of Notre Dame, Jose Gomez of Creighton and Patrick Mullins of Maryland are the three men’s finalists.

The finalists will be honored and the men’s and women’s winners will be announced at the Hermann Trophy banquet on January 11 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.

The 2012 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Miller set single-season school records with 20 goals and 47 points this season. The conference leader in goals and points in 2012, she is one of just four players nationally to reach the 20-goal mark this season, and the first from the ACC in four years to accomplish the feat. A 2012 NSCAA first-team All-American, Miller ended her season on a school-record eight-game goal scoring streak, tallying 11 goals against those eight opponents, all of which made the NCAA Tournament. A two-time ACC Player of the Week, she was named first-team All-ACC for the second consecutive season and was selected to the ACC All-Tournament team as Virginia won the 2012 ACC Championship.

The Hermann Trophy is voted upon by NCAA Division I coaches who are NSCAA members. In addition, this season marked the first time an online fan vote contributed to the selection process. Miller received the most votes in the online fan balloting, which took place over the last week.