BREAKING NEWS: Donavan Phillip Earns 2025 MAC Hermann Trophy
- Jonathan Turner
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
ST. LOUIS — A remarkable season for Donavan Phillip reached its crowning moment Friday night as the NC State junior forward was named the 2025 MAC Hermann Trophy winner, honoring him as the top men’s collegiate soccer player in the nation.
Phillip received the award during the Missouri Athletic Club’s annual Hermann Trophy banquet in St. Louis, with the ceremony aired live on the National Soccer Network (NSN). The Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual honor in college soccer and has been awarded annually since 1967.
Phillip put together one of the most dominant attacking seasons in recent NCAA history, finishing the year as the nation’s leading goal scorer with 19 goals, while adding two assists for 40 points. His production powered NC State to a 16-3-4 record and the program’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA National Championship match, capping a breakthrough year for the Wolfpack.
The Saint Lucia native delivered consistently in the biggest moments, including scoring the Wolfpack’s first goal in the second half of the national championship match. His 19th goal of the season came in the final match, allowing him to surpass Grand Canyon’s Junior Diouf to finish atop the NCAA scoring charts.
Phillip’s 19 goals tied Chris Ogu (1982) and Benito Artinano (1961) for the fifth-most goals in a single season in NC State history, while his 40 points marked the program’s highest total since Roy Lassiter in 1991. He also became the first NC State men’s soccer player to score at least 19 goals in a season since Sam Okpodu netted 20 in 1984.
In addition to the Hermann Trophy, Phillip collected a long list of accolades during his standout junior campaign. He became the first player in program history to be named ACC Offensive Player of the Year, while also earning First-Team All-ACC, First-Team All-America, and United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American honors.
Already on the professional radar, Phillip was selected in the third round (No. 62 overall) by the Colorado Rapids in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft but elected to return to NC State for another season. Despite tripling his goal total from his sophomore year and cementing himself as one of the nation’s elite attackers, Phillip has kept the door open for a return to Raleigh.
“The sun’s gonna come up tomorrow and I have one more year,” Phillip said following NC State’s 3-2 overtime loss to Washington in the national championship match.
Presented by the Missouri Athletic Club, the MAC Hermann Trophy is awarded to the United Soccer Coaches National Players of the Year in NCAA Division I men’s and women’s soccer, based on voting conducted by member coaches. The iconic 10-pound crystal soccer ball symbolizes the highest individual achievement in the college game.
With his Hermann Trophy victory, Phillip becomes the first player in NC State men’s soccer history to earn college soccer’s most coveted individual award, capping a season that will be remembered as one of the greatest in program history.
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