CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - University of Virginia junior midfielder Lia Godfrey has been named one of 15 semifinalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy honoring the national Player of the Year it was announced by the United Soccer Coaches and the Missouri Athletic Club on Wednesday (Nov. 30).

Godfrey is a graduate of Fleming Island High School in Orange Park, FL.

On December 10, The three women’s finalists were named; Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Korbin Albert (Grayslake, Ill.), Duke sophomore forward Michelle Cooper (Clarkston, Mich.), and Florida State senior midfielder Jenna Nighswonger (Huntington Beach, Calif.).

The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer and has been awarded annually since 1967. The 2022 MAC Hermann Trophy banquet will be held at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Jan. 6, 2023 to formally announce this year’s winners.

Godfrey was selected a semifinalist for the first time and it is the second straight season for the Cavaliers to have a semifinalist for the award as Diana Ordoñez was a semifinalist for the award a year ago. Godfrey is the most recent Virginia player to be a semifinalist for the award, joining program alums Ordoñez (2021) and Alexis Shaffer (2016) as semifinalists. Virginia has also had a finalist for the award in six other seasons, including two-time MAC Hermann Trophy winner Morgan Brian (2013, 2014).

Godfrey earned All-Region first team honors from the United Soccer Coaches for the third consecutive year with her selection this season. She was a first team All-ACC selection to earn her third straight All-ACC honor this season as she tallied eight goals and five assists on the year. She tied for second on the team in goals with Spaanstra and second in assists with Spaanstra and Hopkins. Godfrey hit three game-winning goals on the year with the winning strikes coming at No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Duke and against Xavier in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

She is a two-time All-America selection and ranks among the top-20 active NCAA Division I players in career assists as a junior and is 12th among all active DI players in assists per game (0.39) for her career. She helped Virginia advance to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time as the Cavaliers made a 29th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 35th total appearance as a program this season.

Godfrey became a three-time All-American on Friday (Dec. 2) when she was named a first team All-America selection by the United Soccer Coaches with the release of their annual All-America team.

Godfrey is the only three-time All-America selection in the list of 46 players to receive first, second or third team honors this season.

Virginia posted a 16-4-3 record this season on the way to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 29th consecutive season and 35th time overall. The 29 consecutive appearances is the second-longest active streak and the 35 overall appearances is the second most by any NCAA Division I program.

Godfrey was also named a first team Scholar All-America honoree to lead a pair of Virginia women’s soccer players honored for academic and athletic achievement by the United Soccer Coaches. Graduate forward Haley Hopkins was named a third team All-Region honoree.

To be eligible for selection, candidates must be a at least a junior in academic standing and have a cumulative GPA of 3.40 for their career. Players must also have played in at least 75 percent of the season’s games, contributed significantly to the team’s success and be an elite player as evidenced by athletic accolades for the season.