Malia Berkley of Liberty Township is a finalist for the 2019 Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy, college soccer's highest honor.Berkley, who graduated from Badin High School in 2016, is a junior at Florida State University where she started all 23 games this season.
A defender, the university reports "She has helped anchor a backline that has recorded 10 shutouts and has only allowed 23 goals this season. She has not only been a force on the defensive end but also has made her presence known on the offensive side of the ball as well. Berkely has recorded two goals and four assists on the season and is a threat to bring the ball up every time she touches it."
Congrats to Malia Berkely for being named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Award!
— FSU Soccer (@FSUSoccer) November 26, 2019
📰: https://t.co/mCc23Guvuz pic.twitter.com/P6qO94zVF6
Fifteen players are up for the Hermann Trophy. The three finalists will be unveiled Dec. 6, with the winner announced Jan. 3, 2020.
Among Berkley's accomplishments are being rated the 14th best player in the country in the TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Top-100 and 9th in the TopDrawerSoccer Midseason Top-100. She's the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the All-ACC First Team.
As a sophomore, Berkley helped the Seminoles to the 2018 NCAA College Cup championship. Florida State plays UCLA Friday at 2 p.m. for a chance to return to the championship match.
At Badin, Berkley won two state championships and earned four all-state selections. She was the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015, and was named a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American in both those years as well.
The defender has also participated in camps and competitions with the various development teams for U.S. Soccer, including most recently withthe U-23s in Spain.
