North Carolina State University Athletics
Markovic & Phillip Named as MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalists
12/9/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sophomore defender Nikola Markovic and junior forward Donavan Phillip of NC State men's soccer have been named 2025 Men's MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalists.
Displaying NC State's elite level of talent across the pitch, sophomore defender Nikola Markovic and junior forward Donavan Phillip both make the semifinalist ballot for the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy award. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the highest individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer and has been awarded annually since 1967.
Alongside Georgetown, NC State is one of two schools to have multiple players on the ballot.
The two members of the Pack also earned All-Conference and All-Region honors, as the ACC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, and each is named to the All-South Region First Team.
Phillip has aided tremendously on the offensive as the player second in the country in total goals with 17, while Markovic at centerback has helped guide the Pack to become the top defensive team in the country, headlining the entire league with 15 team shutouts.
Three men's finalists will be named for the award on Wednesday, Dec. 17, after voting by NCAA Division I coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches. The 2025 MAC Hermann Trophy winner will then be announced at a press conference at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Jan. 9, 2026, followed by a dinner to celebrate all of the 2025 finalists.
A Wolfpack winner would be the first in program history.
Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite player. Go to machermanntrophy.com for the men's semifinal ballot.
2025 Men's MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalists
| Name | Class | Position | School | Hometown |
| Richie Aman | Sr. | M | University of Washington | Hanover, N.H. |
| Palmer Ault | Sr. | F | Indiana University | Noblesville, Ind. |
| Mitchell Baker | So. | F | Georgetown University | Melbourne, Australia |
| Marcus Caldeira | Sr. | F | West Virginia University | Mississauga, Ont. |
| Junior Diouf | Fr. | F | Grand Canyon University | Thies, Senegal |
| Ransford Gyan | So. | M | Clemson University | Sunyani, Ghana |
| Niklas Herceg | So. | K | University of Vermont | Alsdorf, Germany |
| Diego Hernandez Jr. | Jr. | M | Furman University | Mesquite, Texas |
| Lasse Kelp | Sr. | D | University of Maryland | Bonn, Germany |
| Nikola Markovic | So. | D | NC State University | Gatineau, Que. |
| Donavan Phillip | Jr. | F | NC State University | Castries, Saint Lucia |
| Agustin Resch | Sr. | D | Seton Hall University | Arata, Argentina |
| Nick Simmonds | Fr. | F | University of Virginia | Midlothian, Va. |
| Slade Starnes | Sr. | D | Southern Methodist University | Dallas, Texas |
| Zach Zengue | So. | M | Georgetown University | North Oaks, Minn. |
@PackMensSoccer || #CarryTheCulture
