For the second straight year, the Hermann Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s best colligate soccer player, will stay at The University of Akron after it was presented to junior forward Darlington Nagbe at the Missouri Athletic Club.

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For the second straight year, the Hermann Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s best colligate soccer player, will stay at The University of Akron after it was presented to junior forward Darlington Nagbe at the Missouri Athletic Club.

It feels great, said Nagbe about winning the award. The two other finalists are great players. But I’m especially grateful for the honor because any one of my teammates could have been up here accepting this award instead of me.

Nagbe, who was also named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, was one of three finalists up for the award, along with Indiana’s Will Bruin and Louisville’s Colin Rolfe.

Nagbe joins former teammate and last year’s Hermann Trophy recipient Teal Bunbury as the only Zips soccer player to win the award, also making Akron just the fifth school in the history of the men’s award to have consecutive winners and being the first since Virginia in 1995-1996 to do so.

This marks the third straight year that UA has had a finalist for the award. Current Major League Soccer player Steve Zakuani was the first runner-up in 2008.

Having three different players in three consecutive years make the final three – and two win it – says a lot about the talent we have and the talent we’re developing, said UA Head Coach Caleb Porter.

In 2010, Nagbe helped lead Akron to victory in their first ever National Championship in any sport, while netting a total of seven goals and compiling 13 assists. Nagbe was one of five Zips to be signed to Generation Adidas contracts, foregoing his last year of eligibility, as he was selected second overall in the MLS draft to the expansion Portland Timbers.

This has been a magical season and this award is the icing on the cake. I’m really happy for Darlington because it couldn’t have happened to a better kid. He’s worked so hard for this, said Porter.

The Hermann Trophy, which is college soccer’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy, is the

National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s player of the year award for Division 1 competition. The Missouri Athletic Club has been presenting the award since 1986.

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” #1.1979605:1844269289.jpg:Darlington Nagbe:Junior Darlington Nagbe (left) received his Hermann Trophy following a season where he scored seven goals and added an impressive 13 assists. Head coach Caleb Porter is pictured right.:Akron Media Relations”