This UMaine woman is in the running for college soccer’s most prestigious award

University of Maine women’s soccer striker Abby Kraemer, who became the first All-American in the history of the program last season, has been named to the 2024 Hermann Trophy Watch List as announced by the United Soccer Coaches.

The Hermann Trophy is awarded to the nation’s top Division I player and Kraemer was one of 44 players selected to the Watch List.

There are 336 Division I teams.

She is the first UMaine player to be named to the list.

The Waterloo, Ontario native led the Black Bears to their first ever America East tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth a year ago as she scored 13 goals and assisted on four more for 30 points to earn America East Striker of the Year honors.

She was a second team All-American.

She was tops in America East in points, goals, points per game (1.76), goals per game (.72), game-winning goals (6), shot attempts (68) and shot attempts per game (3.78).

Her six game-winning goals tied her for sixth in the country and her .72 goals per game tied her for 13th.

UMaine soccer coach Scott Atherley said Kraemer is in elite company on that list. And he said she belongs on the list.

“First of all, look at her numbers, statistically. She is up there in so many different categories, it’s hard to argue why she shouldn’t be (on the list),” said Atherley.

The coach also said her consistency and her progression from the time she started to where she is now is impressive.

“She was involved in four of our five goals last week,” said Atherley, referring to Kraemer’s goal and two assists in a season-opening 4-0 win at Le Moyne College on Thursday and assist in the 1-1 tie at Syracuse University on Sunday.

Atherley said there were a lot of positives on the trip to New York.

Le Moyne packed it in defensively so UMaine had to play smart and be patient to break down their defense, he said.

“In the Syracuse game, we had a number of quality chances and should have won the game. We just didn’t capitalize on the chances. Their goalie (Shea Vanderbosch) was one of their best players. She made some incredible saves,” said Atherley.

It was the first time an America East school earned a win or a tie against an Atlantic Coast Conference school in 12 years.

UMaine attempted 15 shots to Syracuse’s 10 with five going on goal to Syracuse’s two. UMaine had a 26-2 shot attempts advantage at Le Moyne, 12-0 in shots on goal.

Black Bear senior center back Anna Phillips from Bolton, England was named the America East Defensive Player of the Week. She played all 180 minutes and anchored a defense that allowed just two shots on goal in the two games.

Phillips transferred from the University of Oregon where she started 55 consecutive games and led the Ducks in minutes played in each of the last two seasons.

“She blocked two bullets at the end (vs. Syracuse),” said Atherley.

In the first game, Jordane Pinette, Windham’s Abbey Thornton, Kraemer and Lara Kirkby were the goal scorers with Abby Kraemer being joined in the assist column by her sister Kayla, Tegan Morrison, Victoria Dungey and Lincolnville’s Kristina Kelly.

Kirkby scored against Syracuse with the Kraemer sisters assisting.

Graduate student Jessica Kasacek had one save in the two games with that coming against Syracuse.

UMaine will travel to play the University of Rhode Island at 1 p.m. Sunday.