Seniors honored as finalists

IU's soccer team was well represented Wednesday when the Missouri Athletic Club announced the finalists for college soccer's player of the year. Seniors Pat Noonan and Ryan Mack were named as two of the 15 finalists for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. Mack and Noonan are the only pair of teammates on the finalists list.\nHoosier coach Jerry Yeagley said his senior duo is worthy of the praise which comes along with being named finalists.\n"Both Pat and Ryan have been finalists before, this honor is richly deserved," Yeagley said. "They are deserving, and I am very happy for them. Hopefully one of them will be able to win the award."\nPrior to this year, the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Player of the Year and Hermann Trophy awards were given out separately, but they have been combined and a unanimous player of the year will be selected this year. The winner of the first ever MAC Hermann Trophy will be announced Dec. 12 before the start of college soccer's College Cup. The award is voted upon by the National Soccer College Coaches Association (NSCAA).\nIf Mack or Noonan were to claim the award, it would not be a first in the Hoosiers' storied soccer tradition. IU has had five Hermann Trophy winners; the latest was Brian Maisonneuve in 1994. The Hoosiers have also had three MAC Player of the Year winners, with the last being Todd Yeagley in 1994.\nNoonan is IU's leading scorer on the season with 37 points on 14 goals and nine assists. The Ballwin, Mo., native also was the runner-up for the MAC Player of the Year in 2001 and earlier this season became IU's 14th player to score 100 points in their career. Along with being named the 2001 Big Ten Player of the Year, Noonan was a Hermann Trophy finalist last season and is a two-time All-American.\nNoonan said it was a great honor to be named a finalist, but he is focused on leading the Hoosiers on another postseason run.\n"It is a great accomplishment for Indiana and an honor to be a part of the top 15 coming from the coaches," Noonan said. "(If I were to win) it would be a great honor and something that I would remember, but I think I will remember a championship more. So if that comes, it comes, but there are more important things on my mind right now." \nMack, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, is the Hoosiers second leading scorer with 21 points on six goals and nine assists. Mack was a finalist in 2000 for the MAC Player of the Year and was also the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2000.\nMack said he was thankful to have had the opportunity to return to this echelon of play after his injury last season.\n"I am so grateful for all the hard work I have put into it," Mack said. "It shows that if you work hard at something you can get back to the same level you were before it took a lot of time and dedication."\nYeagley credits both Noonan and Mack with being catalysts for IU's success during their careers.\n"They have been our primary attacking force for the last four or five years in our run of five consecutive Final Fours and two National Championships. This is an honor for them, their teammates and the University"