ST. LOUIS — Forwards Duncan McGuire of Creighton and Michelle Cooper of Duke won the MAC Hermann Trophy on Friday, the top individual honour in NCAA Div. I soccer.
Johnson beat out Canadian Levonte Johnson, a forward from Syracuse, and Duke midfielder Peter Stroud for the men's award.
The other women's finalists were Notre Dame midfielder Korbin Albert and Florida State midfielder Jenna Nighswonger.
McGuire led the NCAA Div. I in goals (23) and points (50), setting the Creighton single-season record for goals in the process.
Johnson and Stroud both made the United Soccer Coaches' all-America first team. McGuire earned second-team honours.
Cooper ranked second in the NCAA in points (49) last season, tied for second in goals (19) and tied for ninth in assists (11). She scored or assisted on 10 game-winning goals for the Blue Devils. The sophomore recently declared for the NWSL draft.
Johnson, selected 29th by the Vancouver Whitecaps, was the fourth Canadian taken in the first round of the recent MLS SuperDraft after New Hampshire defender Moise Bombito (Colorado, third overall), Florida international forward Stephen Afrifa (Sporting Kansas City, eighth overall) and Maryland midfielder Malcolm Johnston (New York City FC, 26th)
McGuire went sixth overall to Orlando City in the MLS draft.
After transferring to Syracuse from Seattle University to be closer to home in his senior year, Johnson helped the Orange to the NCAA College Cup title last month.
The 23-year-old from Brampton, Ont., earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team honours in scoring 11 goals for Syracuse this season, eight of which were game-winners to lead the NCAA. He also contributed six assists, finishing second in the ACC in points and goals.
Johnson's 86th-minute goal gave Syracuse a 3-2 win over Creighton and sent the Orange to the NCAA final. He was also on target in the championship game in Cary, N.C., converting his spot kick as Syracuse defeated Indiana 7-6 in a penalty shootout after the match finished knotted at 2-2.
Johnson, who scored 40 goals and added 32 assists in 87 games over his collegiate career, was Syracuse's second MAC Hermann Trophy finalist after former Toronto FC goalkeeper Alex Bono in 2014.
Edmonton forward Gloire Amanda, a forward with Oregon State who now plays professionally for Austria Klagenfurt, won the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2019.
Teal Bunbury (Akron, 2009) is the only other Canadian-born men's winner. The son of former Canadian international Alex Bunbury, Teal has lived in the United States since he was 10 and represents the U.S. internationally.
Canadians Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia, 2016) and Christine Sinclair (Portland, 2004 and '05) have won the women's award.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2023
The Canadian Press
