Wake Forests Harkes wins top mens soccer award

The senior midfielder led the Deacons to the national championship game this season to become the schools second MAC Hermann Trophy winner

Troy Taormina—USA Today Sports
Dec 9

Wake Forest’s Ian Harkes, the first men’s soccer player in ACC history to earn the league’s Midfielder of the Year award, ACC tournament MVP and NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player honors in the same year, added another honor to his resume Friday. The senior forward was named the winner of the 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy, the most prestigious honor in college soccer. A four-year starter who anchored the Deacons’ midfield, Harkes recorded nine goals and 18 assists in 82 career starts, including five this season in leading his team to the ACC tournament title and a national runner-up finish. Four of those five goals were game-winners. Harkes beat out finalists Albert Ruiz of Florida Gulf Coast and Gordon Wild of Maryland in a vote of NCAA Division I coaches to become Wake’s second Hermann Trophy winner. Marcus Tracy also earned the honor as a Deacon in 2008. “I couldn’t be more excited for Ian to win the MAC Hermann Trophy,” Wake coach bobby Muuss said. “It’s the most prestigious award in college soccer and he proved time and time again this season that he’s an elite player in our game. His senior season was one for the record books and we couldn’t be more excited for him and his family.”