Pittsburgh, Pa. – Senior forward
Maya Matesa of the Duquesne University women's soccer team was one of 35 NCAA Division I student-athletes named to the 2025 Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List by United Soccer Coaches Tuesday. Matesa, a native of Lebanon, Ohio, is the only player from the Atlantic 10 Conference to make the list.
The Hermann Trophy is presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club and is the nation's highest individual honor, recognizing the National Player of the Year as determined by voting of NCAA Division I head coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches. The award is named in honor of the late Robert Hermann, the legendary St. Louis, Mo., businessman and soccer executive who founded the National Professional Soccer League, the first pro soccer league in the United States, and became the North American Soccer League. Hermann was inducted in the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012.
Entering action this week, Matesa leads the Atlantic 10 in goals (12) and points (27), totals that are tied for third and fourth, respectively, in NCAA Division I. She is currently tied with Izzy Engle of Notre Dame out of the ACC in goals as well as tied with Olivia Thomas of North Carolina, also of the ACC, in points. Both Engle and Thomas were also named to the 2025 Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List.
The per game averages for Matesa of 0.92 goals and 2.08 points also rank in the top five nationally, as she sits fourth in goals per game and is tied with Thomas for fifth in points per contest.
Matesa established a new Duquesne single-season record for goals with the opening strike at 10:18 in an eventual
3-0 victory over Richmond (9/21) at Rooney Field. It marked her fourth game-winning goal of the 2025 season, a total that leads the Atlantic 10 and ranks seventh in NCAA Division I.
Elsewhere in the Duquesne single-season record book, Matesa tied the program standard for points (27) thanks to a three-point game
in a 3-0 triumph over VCU (10/2). She posted a goal and an assist in the victory over the Rams, tying the single-season record that was originally established by Audra Mathews (2004-07) as a freshman in 2004.
Among career leaders on the Bluff, Matesa ranks second all-time in program history in goals (24), third in points (57) and is tied for fifth in game-winning goals (7) along with classmate
Mackenzie Muir. Matesa is one goal shy of matching the Duquesne career record that is owned by former forward Katie O'Connor, who scored 25 goals from 2015 to 2018.
A total of 15 players will be named 2025 Hermann Trophy semifinalists Dec. 2, 2025, at the conclusion of NCAA Division I All-American voting. From that list, head coaches will cast votes and three players will be named finalists. The 2025 recipient will be announced Jan. 9, 2026, in a ceremony at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo.
Led by head coach
Jessica Giegucz, in her first year at the helm of the program, the Dukes have posted an overall record of 9-3-1 (.731), including a ledger of 4-1 (.800) in the Atlantic 10. Duquesne is in third place in the conference standings, trailing Saint Louis and Dayton, as each are 5-0.
The Dukes return to action Sunday, Oct. 12, by traveling to St. Louis, Mo., for a 2:00 p.m. match against Saint Louis at Hermann Stadium.
ABOUT THE MISSOURI ATHLETIC CLUB (mac-stl.org)
Located in St. Louis, Mo., the Missouri Athletic Club has been presenting college soccer's player of the year awards since 1986. The MAC was established in 1903 as an athletic, dining and social club. It has "Platinum Club of America" status, which is awarded to the top private clubs in the country.
ABOUT UNITED SOCCER COACHES (UnitedSoccerCoaches.org)
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 united coaches of all levels around the love of the game.
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