AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron junior Anthony Ampaipitakwong and sophomore Teal Bunbury were among 15 semifinalists for the 2009 Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer.

Overall, six teams in the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Elite Eight have a total of eight players representing them. UA and Wake Forest lead the way with two players each.

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 and 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. Dinner and a formal presentation of the award will follow the news conference that evening.

Ampaipitakwong, an NSCAA third team All-American in 2008, has started all 22 games this season for the Zips (22-0-0). He has been UA's driving force on the attack with three goals in two NCAA Tournament games  – including the game-winner against South Florida in the second round – entering Saturday's quarterfinal match-up with eighth-seeded Tulsa.

In all, the midfielder from Carrollton, Texas, has netted eight goals to go with five assists for 36 points – ranking third on the team – on the year. On top of that, half of his goals have been game-winners. He is a three-time All-Mid-American Conference First Team honoree.  

After a strong freshman campaign, Bunbury has blossomed into the nation's most dangerous goal scorer in 2009. The reigning MAC Player of the Year, who leads the country with 17 goals on the season, has dictated the outcome of nine UA wins alone with five game-winning goals and four assists that led to game-winners.

In all, he has recorded at least one point 16 times in 22 games and scored multiple goals in four contests. Bunbury enjoyed an incredible run from late September to early November, scoring 14 goals in a 12-game span, including game-winners against Florida Atlantic, Virginia Tech, Buffalo and Penn State. For the season, the striker from Prior Lake, Minn., has totaled a tea-high 39 points while starting every game this season.

His header against Stanford last weekend proved to be the difference in leading the Zips to the third NCAA quarterfinal appearance in school history. UA is attempting to become the first team in 35 years to win a national championship and is currently riding the second longest, single-season win streak in NCAA history.

It is the second consecutive year Akron has been represented on the Hermann Trophy semifinalist list. Current professional star Steve Zakuani was named first runner up a year ago before becoming the No. 1 overall draft pick of the MLS SuperDraft.

Representing the Demon Deacons are a pair of juniors, midfielder Corben Bone  and defender Ike Opara. Rounding out the list of players from Elite Eight teams are Zach Loyd (North Carolina), Kyle Nakazawa (UCLA), Tony Tchani (Virginia) and Garrett Webb (Drake). Harvard senior forward Andre Akpan makes his third appearance among the semifinalists.

2009 M.A.C. 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.