PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland's standout juniors Benji Michel and Rey Ortiz have both been named to the initial 2018 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, which was announced on Thursday by United Soccer Coaches and the Missouri Athletic Club. The MAC Hermann Trophy, presented by World Wide Technology, is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year.
 
This year's winners will be announced Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
 
Portland is one of only two schools to place two players on the 32-player list.
 
As sophomores last fall, both Michel and Ortiz landed on the All-WCC First Team and earned all-regional honors. Michel, a forward out of Orlando, Fla., was among the nation's leaders in goals for most of the season, and he ended the year with a conference-best 10 goals.
 
Ortiz ranked second nationally in assists per game (0.76) and he was third in total assists with 13. A native of Acapulco, Mexico, Ortiz missed matching the program's single-season assist record by one. He also scored six goals, which ranked third in the conference, to give him a league-high 25 points. Following the season Top Drawer Soccer named the midfielder to their Best Top XI Second Team.
 
The MAC Hermann Trophy Watch Lists are compiled by members of the United Soccer Coaches Men's and Women's NCAA Division I All-America Committees. 15 semifinalists will be named for both the men's and women's MAC Hermann Trophy near the end of the college season based on voting by NCAA Division I coaches and from those candidates, three finalists will ultimately be placed on the ballot for the coveted award.
 
For more information about the MAC Hermann Trophy, including a list of past winners, visit MACHermannTrophy.org.
 
2018 Men's MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
Name, Yr., Pos, School, Hometown
Joris Ahlinvi, Jr., MF, Florida International, Saint-Aubin des Bois, France
Mertcan Akar, Jr., K, Old Dominion, Cologne, Germany 
Nathan Aune, Sr., D, Seattle , Arlington, Wash.
Jakov Basic, Sr. , MF, Massachusetts-Lowell, Zagreb, Croatia 
Tucker Bone, Sr., MF, Air Force , Granite Bay, Calif. 
Niklas Brodacki, Jr., F, Central Arkansas, Norrkoping, Sweden 
Antonio Bustamante, Sr., MF, William and Mary, Springfield, Va. 
Drake Callender, Jr., GK, California, Fair Oaks, Calif. 
Kyle Clinton, Jr., D, Georgia State, Havant, England 
Alex Cosmia, Sr., D, North Carolina, Vancouver, B.C. 
Mark Forrest, Sr., F, Lehigh, Douglassville, Pa. 
Allen Gavilanes, So., F, Marist, North Plainfield, N.J.
Brandon Guhl, Jr., F, Butler, Houston, Texas
Andrew Gutman, Sr., D, Indiana, Hillsdale, Ill.
Jimmy Hague, Sr., GK, Michigan State, Walled Lake, Mich.
Jack Hallahan, Jr., F, Michigan, Redditch, England
Erik Holt, Jr., D, UCLA, San Diego, Calif.
Jean-Christoph Koffi, Sr., MF, Virginia, Potomac, Md.
Daniel Krutzen, Sr., MF, Albany, Lanaken, Belgium
Janos Loebe, Sr., F, Fordham, Kierspe, Germany
Brendan McDonough, Sr., D, Georgetown, Matthews, N.C.
Zac McGraw, Jr., D, Army West Point, Torrance, Calif.
Garrett McLaughlin, Jr., F, SMU, Edmond, Okla.
Benji Michel, Jr., F, Portland, Orlando, Fla.
Rey Ortiz, Jr., MF, Portland, Acapulco, Mexico
Elliott Otmani, Sr., F, Rider, La Ciotat, France
Santiago Patino, Sr., F, Florida International, Orlando, Fla.
Brian Saramago, Jr., F, Loyola Maryland, New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Andrew Shinyashiki, Sr., F, Denver, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Davis Smith, So., F, Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass.
Jonny Sutherland, Sr., GK, Clemson, Chester, England
Faouzi Taieb, Jr., D, UC Santa Barbara, Marseille, France