Jay Needham helped lead the Mustangs as a tri-captain the past two seasons. Needham also added three goals and three assists this season.
The men’s soccer season may be over, but some Mustangs are still being recognized for their strong performances during the 2006 season. Senior Jay Needham is a finalist for the prestigious Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. The award is the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer. The Division I National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) selected the finalists.
Charlie Davies from Boston College and Joseph Lapira of Notre Dame join Needham in the final three.
“It feels great,” Needham said about being named as a finalist for the Hermann Trophy. The last Mustang to win the Trophy was Luchi Gonzalez in 2001.
In the 2006 season, Needham was named as the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Mustang defense to 14 shutouts, tying the current SMU record. Even as a defender, his presence was felt all over the field with his three goals and three assists. For the last two seasons, Needham has been a tri-captain and started every game.
While he is happy about his success, Needham was disappointed about the abrupt ending to the Mustangs’ season.
“It was a really tough way to go out, but all in all my four years here at SMU have been great,” he said.
Needham was a member of the 2005 All-Conference USA first-team and scored six goals. As a freshman, he was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman team.
Needham and the other finalists will travel to Saint Louis University this weekend to attend the banquet where the Hermann Trophy will be formally awarded. The news conference preceding the banquet will air on ESPNews at 5:45 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 2.
“I’m really happy to be a finalist, but I don’t have my heart set on winning. I’m just going to go enjoy the banquet and the whole experience,” Needham said.
In 2007, Needham will join teammate Chase Wileman at the adidas MLS Player Combine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The Combine takes place just before the MLS SuperDraft and is an opportunity for MLS scouts and coaches to see some of collegiate soccer’s best talent up-close and personal. Needham and Wileman, along with 56 other Division I players, will play Jan. 5-8 at Lockhart Stadium.
