Dec. 4, 2007

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Soccer Buzz Magazine has announced the list of finalists for the two top player awards in women's collegiate soccer for 2007. Fourteen players have been selected as finalists for 2007 National Player of the Year including UNC midfielders Yael Averbuch, the 2006 winner, and Tobin Heath. Another fourteen have been named finalists for the 2007 National Freshman of the Year. First presented in 1996, this will mark the twelfth such honorees which will be announced in mid-December.

Among the total of 28 finalists, sixteen different schools are represented. UCLA's Danesha Adams is a finalist for the third time in her career while five others made the list for the second time. Seven nominees were previously Freshman of the Year finalists during their rookie collegiate seasons including Kerri Hanks of Notre Dame who was the winner of that award in 2005.

UCLA leads all schools with four total finalists and Florida State and Notre Dame have three each among the lists.The ACC has the most finalists (4) for Player of the Year while the Pac-10 dominated with nine total finalists among the two awards.

North Carolina is the only program to have a player among the finalists list for the nine years Soccer Buzz has announced finalists although the Tar Heels failed to have a rookie nominee for the first time. UNC leads all schools with twenty-seven all-time selections (total for both awards) followed by Notre Dame (19), Portland (17) and UCLA (15). Four teams established program firsts with their nominations in either category: Georgetown, Miami FL, Missouri and Oklahoma State.

Yael Averbuch of North Carolina garnered National Player of the Year honors in 2006 and UCLA's Lauren Cheney was named National Freshman of the Year.