Villanova University

Aug. 8, 2007

MISSION, Kan. - Villanova All-American goalkeeper Jillian Loyden (Vineland, N.J.) has been named to the preseason watch list for the prestigious Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, it was announced today. The list of 46 players was presented by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Each year the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy is presented to the top men's and women's collegiate soccer player.

Only six players from the BIG EAST Conference were among the 46 players named to the preseason watch list and Loyden was one of only four goalkeepers to make the list. In November the list of candidates will be narrowed to 15 semifinalists and three finalists will be chosen in December in conjunction with the NCAA Division I College Cup.

"It is very impressive for Jillian to receive this preseason accolade," Villanova head coach Ann Clifton said. "It is a prestigious honor for our program to have a player recognized as one of the top players in the country. With preseason camp starting just a few days from now this is a great lead-in to our season."

Loyden is coming off a 2006 season in which she became the first player in team history to be named a first team All-American. Loyden set single-season school records for victories and goals-against average last season, ranked among the top six in the nation in both GAA and save percentage and was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year for the second straight year.

In her first three seasons in goal for Villanova, Loyden has amassed 38 victories and 25 shutouts to rank second in school history in both categories. She also ranks second in program history in goals-against average and winning percentage.

During the 2006 season Loyden posted seven straight shutouts and at one point produced a scoreless goalkeeping streak of 736:24. That ranks as the 16th-longest such streak in Division I history. Loyden finished the season with a 0.45 goals-against average, .903 save percentage, 11 solo shutouts and 16 victories.

The other BIG EAST players to make the preseason watch list include 2006 winner Kerri Hanks and Amanda Cinalli (Notre Dame), Megan Schnur and Brittany Taylor (Connecticut) and Amanda Cicchini (West Virginia). The three other goalkeepers were junior Lizzie Barnes (Navy), junior Ashley Gunter (Southern Methodist University) and senior Ashley Phillips (Clemson).

The three finalists for the 2007 Hermann Trophy will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club on Friday, January 11, 2008. The male and female winners of the 2007 award will be announced during a nationally-televised news conference that evening.