Three Tar Heels Named Hermann Trophy Semifinalists

Photo by: Tony Tucker

November 26, 2019 | Women's Soccer

Fox, Pinto, Russo tapped as semifinalists

By: Dave Lohse

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - United Soccer Coaches and the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) have announced the 15 women's semifinalists for the 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy, based on voting by NCAA Division I women's soccer coaches.

Three members of the University of North Carolina's ACC champion and NCAA quarterfinalist women's soccer team have been named semifinalists for the 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy. UNC's semifinalists are junior midfielder Emily Fox of Ashburn, Va., sophomore midfielder Brianna Pinto of Durham, N.C. and junior forward Alessia Russo of Kent, England.

Other semifinalists are junior forward Amirah Ali of Rutgers, junior defender Malia Berkley of Florida State, junior midfielder Mikayla Collohan of BYU, junior forward Kirtsen Davis of Texas Tech, senior defender Grace Fisk of South Carolina, senior forward Elise Flake of BYU, senior midfielder Jessie Fleming of UCLA, sophomore defender Naomi Girma of Stanford, junior midfielder Catarina Macario of Stanford, senior defender Stasia Mallin of Memphis, junior forward Tara McKeown of Southern California and senior forward Ally Watt of Texas A&M..

The MAC Hermann Trophy, presented by World Wide Technology, is the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer and has been awarded annually since 1967. Three finalists will be named for the award on Friday, Dec. 6 in conjunction with the Women's College Cup in San Jose, Calif. The 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy banquet will be held at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Jan. 3, 2020 to formally announce this year's winners.

Emily Fox
Junior Year (2019):  First-team All-ACC selection • also named to All-Tournament Team at 2019 ACC Tournament • starter all season on the right side, either on defense or in the midfield • currently starting at right midfield position in 3-5-2 formation • preseason All-ACC selection • preseason Top Drawer Soccer Bext XI honoree • played with U.S. U23 National Team at Nordic Cup in England from August 28-September 2 • started first two games of season, playing first half against Indiana at right midfield and all 90 minutes in shutout of Duke at right back • returned to lineup after Nordic Cup against UNLV, playing 42 minutes in 8-0 victory • recorded three assists versus Rebels, assisting on first, second and eighth UNC goals • her three-assist game against UNLV was the second of her career • she also had three assists against Syracuse on September 30, 2017 • has played in 21 matches overall, starting all 21 • played 1647 minutes in total, including all 90 in ACC shutouts of BC and FSU and 90 minutes in come-from-behind win at Miami • played all 90 minutes in ACC Tournament win over Notre Dame and recorded primary assist on game-winning goal by Lotte Wubben-Moy • played all 192 minutes in ACC Tournament semifinals and finals versus NC State and Virginia • assisted on Alessia Russo's game-winning goal at 101:48 in 2-1 double overtime win over Virginia in ACC Tournament championship game • against Belmont in NCAA first round, she led Tar Heel starters in minutes with 64 • she tallied her first career goal against the Bruins at 27:33 of the match • assisted on goals by Bridgette Andrzejewski at 22:46 and by Alessia Russo at 53:48 in victory over Belmont • had two assists in NCAA third round win over Michigan • named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week after Carolina's shutout wins over FSU and Virginia Tech • was limited to 42 minutes at Louisville after a collision with Marz Josephson late in first half • returned to play 79 and 77 minutes in shutout wins over NC State and Notre Dame • assisted on Brianna Pinto's insurance goal against the Fighting Irish • played all 110 minutes in tie at Duke and all 90 minutes in win at Pitt •  assisted on Rachael Dorwart's insurance goal in 3-1 win at Pittsburgh • only current collegiate player to have earned caps with U.S. Women's National full team • her 11 assists lead the team.

Brianna Pinto
Sophomore Year (2019):  First-team All-ACC selection for second straight year • preseason All-ACC selection as well • participates in the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy as part of the Accelerate Program and also as a part of the Cultivate Program • two-year starter in the midfield for Carolina • played 68 minutes against Indiana and 67 minutes versus Duke • scored a pair of goals in 3-0 win over Hoosiers • tallied in the 18th minute to put the Heels up 2-0 • followed that up with a world class goal from the top of the box in the 81st minute of play • was named the offensive Most Valuable Player of the Husky Invitational • assisted on two goals in 3-2 come-from-behind win over Washington • had assist on game-tying goal at 36:29 and then assisted on game-winner at 70:24 • played all 90 minutes against the Huskies • started and played 68 minutes in win over Portland • scored her third goal of the season at 50:38 in 4-0 win over the Pilots • started both games in Duke Nike Classic • played all 90 minutes against LSU and scored game-winning goal at 70:20 of the match in a 1-0 victory • started against UNLV, scoring goals in the 10th and 23rd minutes • was named to Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week for her play in the Duke Nike Classic • assisted on Alessia Russo's game-winning goal at Louisville • has started all 24 games for Carolina, playing 1589 minutes, the fifth highest total on team and most minutes of any non-defender • has 10 goals and six assists for 26 points, the second highest point total on the squad • ranks second on the team in goals scored with 10, including what was easily the season's most creative tally, a back heel flick at 60:59 of 3-0 win over Notre Dame • also scored the game-tying goal at 48:05 of the match in a 3-1 come-from-behind win at Pittsburgh • scored on a breakaway to provide separation in Carolina's 2-0 victory over fifth-ranked Florida State • tallied the game-winning goal in the 84th minute of 3-2 win at Miami • ranks fourth on team in assists with six, including primary assist on Alessia Russo's game-winning goal versus Colorado in the NCAA second round.

Alessia Russo
Junior Year (2019):  Most Valuable Player of the 2019 ACC Tournament named first-team All-ACC for the third year in a row • All-ACC Tournament selection • preseason All-ACC selection • team tri-captain • played for the England U23 National Team at the Nordic Cup in her native country from August 28-September 2 • started each of the first two games of the season at center forward and now is starting in the twin nines in the 3-5-2 formation since the game at Pitt • played 66 minutes against Indiana and 72 minutes against Duke • returned to starting lineup after Nordic Cup trip in 8-0 win over UNLV • scored her first goal of the season at 4:59 of match against UNLV and added a second goal in the game at 57:41 to put the Tar Heels up 8-0 • added a second brace this season versus Wake Forest, scoring in 79th and 87th minutes • her third brace of the season and fifth of her career came at Louisville as she scored in 22nd and 81st minutes • her goal at 21:32 versus Louisville was her 21st career goal and 12th career game-winning goal • bumped her career goal total to 24 and game-winning goal total to 14 in ACC Tournament • had her fourth brace of the season and sixth of her career in ACC semifinals versus NC State • scored the game-winner against the Wolfpack at 7:28 and added a second goal at 88:24 • scored the game-winning goal at 101:48 to lift UNC to 2-1 double overtime win over #1-ranked Virginia in ACC Tournament championship game • scored twice in NCAA first round win over Belmont, earning her fifth brace of the campaign, running her career goal total to 26 and game-winning career goal total to 15 • tallied game-winning goal versus Colorado in NCAA second round, giving her 27 goals in her career and 16 game-winning goals • assisted on both of Isabel Cox's goals in NCAA third round versus Michigan, the first multi-assist game of her career • has played 22 matches overall, all starts • leads the team in goals with 12 and in points with 27 • leads Carolina with six game-winning goals • 59 percent of the goals she has scored in her career have been game-winners • was named to Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week after two-goal performance at Louisville • was fouled twice deep in Pitt territory which set up Brianna Pinto's game-tying and Taylor Otto's game-winning goals in 3-1 come-from-behind win over the Panthers • earned her first assist on goal by Rachel Jones at 79:05 of Boston College match.