Two Texas Soccer Stars Named to Women's MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List

Two Texas Longhorns soccer stars are expected to be first-round NWSL Draft picks in 2025.

Texas Longhorns forward Trinity Byars (15) battles Houston Cougars midfielder Talia Feigin (20) while dribbling the ball in the second half of the Longhorn's season opener against the Houston Cougars, Aug. 15, 2024 at Mike A. Meyers Stadium and Soccer Field in Austin, Texas. Texas won the game 1-0. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Trinity Byars and Lexi Missimo are childhood friends making program history with Texas soccer.

Neither of them is new to the MAC Hermann trophy. Missimo was a semi-finalist in 2023 after leading the country in total points with 72, and had already earned her first nomination in 2022. Byars was named a semi-finalist in 2022, making Texas the one of two programs in the nation to have two former semi-finalists active in its roster.

The MAC Hermann trophy is granted by the Missouri Athletic Club every year to honor the best women's soccer player in the country. 44 players were named in the watchlist. Six of the current nominees were among the 2023 semifinalists, including Missimo.

Texas Longhorns forward Trinity Byars (15) battles Houston Cougars midfielder Talia Feigin (20) while dribbling the ball in the second half of the Longhorn's season opener against the Houston Cougars, Aug. 15, 2024 at Mike A. Meyers Stadium and Soccer Field in Austin, Texas. Texas won the game 1-0. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

This list will get shorter on Dec. 15 when its reduced to 15 players at the conclusion of All-American voting, then to three finalists. The winner will be announced on Jan. 3, 2025 in Saint Louis.

The two Solar SC products already started the 2024 season with their names in the box score. Missimo scored the first goal for the Longhorns in the SEC, assisted by Byars, who broke the all-time goal record for Texas during the first-round NCAA Tournament game against Lamar. She will be looking to put one of her own in the back of the net against Cal State Bakersfield on Aug. 18.

If Byars scores a hattrick against the Roadrunners, she will become the first student-athlete in the program's history to achieve 50 goals, currently sitting at a record 47 on 102 shots on goal.