ST. LOUIS, Mo. – For the second straight season Jaelin Howell earned the nation’s top honor as the Missouri Athletic Club and United Soccer Coaches Association named Howell the winner of the MAC Hermann Trophy, presented to the top female player in NCAA Division I soccer.
Howell becomes the fifth player to win the MAC Hermann Award in back-to-back season, joining Mia Hamm (UNC, 1992-93), Cindy Parlow (UNC, 1997-98), Christine Sinclair (Portland, 2004-05) and Morgan Brian (Virginia (2013-14). She also earned Florida State’s third MAC Hermann Trophy, joining Mami Yamaguchi (2007) and herself from last season.
She started in 23 games while playing in all 25 for the Seminoles this season as their starting holding midfielder. She won her second national championship in December as she made her third appearance in the national championship game in four years. Jaelin has helped anchor a backline that recorded 14 shutouts in 25 games and only allowed 13 goals all season. Howell also made her presence known on the offensive end as she scored three goals to go with four assists. She scored the game-winner in the semifinals against Rutgers in the 71st minute.
The Lone Tree, Colorado native was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region First Team and was named a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American both for the second consecutive season. Howell was also named to the TopDrawerSoccer Best XI First team and was rated the No. 2 player in the country by TopDrawerSoccer in the end of season top-100. Howell was named to the All-ACC First Team in the fall and the ACC’s Midfielder of the Year for the second straight season. She is the first student-athlete to earn the honor twice. She also helped lead the Seminoles to their eight ACC Tournament title. Howell capped off her senior season by helping lead Florida State to its third national title in soccer and the second during her four year career at FSU.
The MAC Hermann Trophy, a 10-pound crystal soccer ball awarded annually since 1967, honors the United Soccer Coaches National Players of the Year in NCAA Division I men’s and women’s soccer based on voting conducted by NCAA Division I coaches.
Established in 1903, the Missouri Athletic is a private social, business, athletic, and dining club with locations in Downtown St. Louis and Town and Country in West St. Louis County. The MAC is a Platinum Club of America, an honor bestowed on the top 3% of private clubs in the United States.
Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., United Soccer Coaches is the trusted and unifying voice, advocate and partner for coaches at all levels of the game. The largest community for soccer coaches in the world, we unite coaches of all levels around the love of the game and we elevate the game through advocacy, education and service.
