The 2026 Hermann Trophy watch list was released this week, featuring 27 collegiate players who are being considered for the prestigious award that honors the nation’s top Division I men’s soccer player.
Watch List Highlights
Among the nominees, SMU’s junior defender Noah Holmstrøm stands out as the sole representative from the Atlantic Coast Conference, underscoring his impact on the field.
His defensive contributions earned him the 2025 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year award and a place on the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch list earlier in the year.
Path to SMU
Before joining SMU, Holmstrøm earned the 2025 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honor after starting all 18 matches for Georgia Southern, where he helped the team to eight clean sheets and a goals‑against average of 0.89.
The upcoming season will see Holmstrøm back with SMU, where he is expected to play a pivotal role from the opening match against Stetson on August 20.
SMU entered the 2026 campaign ranked fourth in the ACC preseason poll and sits among four ACC programs in the United Soccer Coaches preseason top ten, setting high expectations for the squad.
Ceremony and Timeline
The watch list will be trimmed to three finalists on December 4, and the eventual winner will be announced on January 8, 2027, at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, the same venue that has administered the award since its inception.
The Hermann Trophy, first presented in 1967, continues to recognize the nation’s most impactful collegiate male soccer player, with past recipients including notable alumni who have gone on to professional careers.