Pages 18-35.indd - Duke University Athletics

National Players of the Year
30
During John Rennie's 27-year tenure as the
head soccer coach at Duke University, National
Player of the Year awards have become as much
a part of the tradition at the school as the success
of the team on the fi eld.
The Hermann Trophy, one of the most coveted
individual awards in collegiate soccer, has been
presented since 1967. Duke, fortunate to have
fi ve Hermann recipients, is one of the rare schools
to produce back-to-back winners.
The Hermann is named for Robert Hermann,
former chairman of the executive committee of
the NASL, one of its founding owners and a true
pioneer in American soccer. The Missouri Athletic
Club Award was developed in 1986 in an effort
to recognize the top American collegiate soccer
player.
Joe Ulrich, 1982
-The 1982 Hermann
recipient,
Ulrich was Duke's
fi rst national player
of the year. While
playing at the important
sweeper
position, he led
Duke to the 1982
national fi nals and
a 22-1-2 record.
A native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Ulrich was a
fi rst-round selection in four pro soccer drafts and
enjoyed a pro career with the Dallas Sidekicks
of the MISL. He was inducted into the Duke Hall
of Fame in 1998.
John Kerr
Mike Jeffries,
1983 - The 1983
Hermann winner
at sweeper,
Jeffries was one
of Duke's most
durable players,
performing in all 89
career matches.
The Bethesda,
Md., native led
Duke to a No. 1 national ranking during his
entire senior season. A versatile performer who
played forward, midfi eld and defense during his
career, Jeffries was the fi rst American chosen in
the 1983 MISL draft as he joined the Minnesota
Strikers organization.
Tom Kain, 1985
- Duke's fi rst fourtime
All-America
honoree in any
sport, Kain earned
the Hermann Trophy
in 1985. A
striker from Wall,
N.J., Kain was one
of the most prolifi c
scorers in Duke
history, holding
school records for assists (45) and total points
(147), while ranking second in goals (51). He led
the Blue Devils to a combined record of 68-13-7
and three NCAA Tournament berths during his four
seasons and also made the Olympic Team. The
runner-up for the 1984 Hermann Trophy, Kain was
the fi rst soccer player at Duke to be selected to
the Duke Hall of Fame. Kain played professionally
in West Germany and in the MISL.
John Kerr, 1986
- Kerr reached
three milestones
in 1986. In addition
to winning the
Hermann Trophy
and the inaugural
Missouri Athletic
Club Award, Kerr
also led Duke to
the NCAA title, the
Blue Devils' fi rst team title in any sport. Kerr was
the squad's leading scorer with 15 goals and 14
assists and also topped the ACC in scoring while
claiming the ACC Player of the Year award. A native
of Falls Church, Va., Kerr fi nished his career
as Duke's No. 2 all-time scorer. Kerr played for
New England and Dallas in the MLS and Millwall
in England and has been a past player with the
U.S. National Team. He is currently the head
men's soccer coach at Harvard.
Jay Heaps, 1998
- A four-time
All-ACC choice
and a two-time
All-America pick,
Heaps secured
the Missouri Athletic
Club Award
his senior year.
Duke's leading
scorer for three
seasons, Heaps
collected a team-high 13 goals and eight assists
for 34 points in 1998. He completed his career
ranked third in goals (45), fourth in assists (37)
and tied for second in points (127) at Duke. The
native of Longmeadow, Mass., was also a member
of the Duke basketball team as a walk-on during
his stint in Durham. The Academic All-America
honoree graduated a semester early to pursue
his professional soccer career. Heaps was the
No. 2 pick overall in the MLS Draft by Miami in
1999 and came out in his fi rst year to claim MLS
Rookie of the Year accolades. He is currently one
of the top young players in the MLS with the New
England Revolution.
Ali Curtis, 2000
- Curtis was a
three-time All-ACC
and All-America
selection. He was
named the ACC
Player of the Year
and winner of the
Hermann Trophy
after scoring 17
goals and notching
40 points as a junior. His senior year he won
the Missouri Athletic Club Award after scoring
15 goals and adding nine assists for 39 points.
He left Duke as the career scoring leader with 53
goals, and his 134 points rank second all time.
In his fi nal two years at Duke, Curtis scored 32
goals, assisted on 15 goals and totaled 79 points.
He was the second overall pick in the 2001 MLS
draft by the Tampa Bay Mutiny.