CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State men’s soccer sophomore Danny Mwanga was named one of the 15 semifinalists for the 2009 Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer it was announced Wednesday by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Mwanga became the first Oregon State men’s soccer player to be named the Pac-10 Player of the Year this year after being named Player of the week in consecutive weeks to close out the 2009 campaign.

The native of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, started all 18 games this season for the Beavers and led the led the conference in five statistical categories: points, points per game, goals scored, goals per game and game-winning goals.

Division I college head coaches with current membership in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) will vote to determine the 2009 MAC Hermann Trophy recipient. Three finalists for the award will be announced on Friday, Dec. 11. They will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis for a news conference on Friday, Jan. 8, 2010, where the winner will be announced. A dinner and formal presentation of the award will follow the news conference that evening.

Mwanga is also one of 34 finalists for the Soccer News Net Men’s College Player of the Year award.

Men’s 2009 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Semifinalists

Andre Akpan, F, Sr., Harvard, Grand Prairie, Texas
Anthony Ampaipitakwong, M, Jr., Akron, Carrollton, Texas
Corben Bone, M, Jr., Wake Forest, Plano, Texas
Teal Bunbury, F, So., Akron, Prior Lake, Minn.
Ryan Kinne, M, Jr., Monmouth, Naugatuck, Conn.
Zach Loyd, D, Sr., North Carolina, Verdigris, Okla.
Danny Mwanga, F, So., Oregon State, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Kyle Nakazawa, F, Sr., UCLA, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
Conor O'Brien, M, Sr., Bucknell, Mt. Sinai, N.Y.
Ike Opara, D, Jr., Wake Forest, Durham, N.C.
Colin Rolfe, F, So., Louisville, Canton, Mich.
Toni Stahl, M, Sr., Connecticut, Tuusula, Finland
Tony Tchani, M, So., Virginia, Norfolk, Va.
Bobby Warshaw, M, Jr., Stanford, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Garrett Webb, F, Sr., Drake, Prairie Village, Kan.