Soccer players up for top award

College soccer coaches and media members decided before this season that IU's Ryan Mack and T.J. Hannig were among the best players in the nation, when both players were named finalists for the Hermann Trophy, an award given to the nation's top player.\nAfter 10 games, coaches still feel Mack, a junior forward, and Hannig, a senior goalkeeper, deserve consideration for the honor. They think sophomore midfielder Pat Noonan deserves a look, too.\nNoonan, Mack and Hannig were named finalists Sunday for the Missouri Athletic Club's Player of the Year award -- the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's official player of the year honor.\nNoonan said just getting nominated is an honor; only 15 players are up for the award.\n"It's a great honor just to be considered one of the top players in the country," he said. "Just to be with some of the names that are on there, it is an honor.\n"If coaches such as coach (Jerry) Yeagley and some of the other top coaches consider you one of the better players and they're out there watching you and respect that, that does say a lot. It's something to be proud of," he said.\nThe nominations came after a game that gave IU something to be proud of -- a 3-2 upset victory Friday over then-No. 2 Penn State. Mack and Noonan each scored a goal; Noonan also tallied an assist.\nBoth players attributed their nominations to the team, not their individual efforts.\n"I think any of those awards are great honors," Mack said. "I think if we just go out there and perform to our highest ability for the team, not just individually, I think that will get recognized more.\n"I think we have to work for the team more than ourselves."\nNoonan echoed that thought.\n"I'm not too worried about the individual play," he said. "It could always be better. I've got to work on my defense more and just finishing; there's a lot of stuff I have to work on individually.\n"But the team comes first, and if we're winning, that's really all I care about right now."\nHannig has a while before he can focus on any aspect of play -- individual or team. His nomination came six days after he suffered a knee injury in practice. His return should be in 5-6 weeks, Yeagley said.\nHannig, too, said he felt honored by the nomination, and he said the recognition reflects well on IU. More Hoosiers were nominated than from any other school.\n"As always, this is a first-class program," he said. "We're bringing in top players in the country all the time. It's a big honor for the program. It gives us more recognition, and the recruits will want to come here"