Two Wildcats Named MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalists
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Seniors Eythor Bjorgolfsson and Luis Grassow are among 15 MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalists, United Soccer Coaches and the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) announced on Wednesday.
The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer and has been awarded annually since 1967.
Bjorgolfsson has demonstrated an impressive career as a Wildcat playing in 68 matches with 43 starts totaling 3,808 minutes on the pitch in his four years in Lexington. The senior has been a force to reckon with on the attack with 24 goals tying sixth in all-time career goal scorers for the program. His 10 game-winning goals places him in third overall. This season alone, Bjorgolfsson scored 10 goals with two assists including a brace against Lipscomb, a goal against in-state rival Louisville, long-time rival Indiana and West Virginia in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. He fired 49 shots with 26 on goal to bring his UK career total to 111 with 56 on goal.
The Jessheim, Norway native has received numerous honors throughout the 2022 campaign including Sun Belt Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Sun Belt First-Team Conference honors and Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament honors. He was rewarded Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week twice in September. Bjorgolfsson was also selected to participate in the 2022 adidas MLS College Showcase this week in Raleigh, N.C.
Grassow is one of five semifinalists who were announced on the MAC Hermann Trophy watchlist in August. Since being recognized on the watchlist, the Munich, Germany native has received much recognition as Sun Belt Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Sun Belt First-Team Conference honors and Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament honors. The senior captain was also announced as a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American for the 2022 season.
The defender has played 59 matches for Kentucky with 56 starts totaling 5,057 minutes on the pitch. He saw a starting position in all 21 matches this season contributing to 11 clean sheets, as well as seven shots with four on goal. Grassow scored three goals for the Cats this season. He equalized the match at Tulsa in the early stages of the season, shot an impressive scissor kick against WVU in the sixth minute of the match and successfully headed the ball into the goal in the conference tournament championship against James Madison. Throughout his Wildcat career, the senior defender has contributed to over 20 shutouts.
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.
Voting for the 2022 men’s finalists (3) is now open online. Voting continues through Dec. 13. The men’s finalists will be released on Dec. 14 and the women’s finalists will be released later today. For more information about the history of the MAC Hermann Trophy, visit MACHermannTrophy.org.
For the latest on Kentucky Men’s Soccer, follow @UKMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
