CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia junior midfielder Lia Godfrey has been named to the preseason watch list for the MAC Hermann Trophy it was announced by the United Soccer Coaches and the Missouri Athletic Commission on Thursday (Aug. 18).

Godfrey is one of 61 players named to the list and is one of nine players who earned All-America honors a year ago on the preseason list. Godfrey is a two-time All-American for the Cavaliers and was named the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2020 while also earning back-to-back All-ACC honors.

She is coming off a sophomore campaign in which she tallied 12 assists and three goals to help the Cavaliers claim the ACC regular-season championship, advance to the finals of the ACC Championship and earn a 28th consecutive berth in the NCAA Championship.

The Hermann Trophy, presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club, is the nation’s highest individual honor recognizing the National Player of the Year as determined by the voting of Division I coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches.

Fifteen men’s players and 15 women’s players become Hermann Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 30 following completion of Division I All-America voting following the fall season. Then on Dec. 7, the top three players from a final round of voting are the 2021 finalists. The 2022 winner is revealed on Jan. 6, 2023, at a ceremony at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo.