Aug. 19, 2008

St. Louis, Mo. - Fordham men's soccer's senior defender John Pardini (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown) was one of 48 of the best men's Division I intercollegiate soccer players that comprise the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List for 2008, it was announced today.

Considered the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer, the recipients of the MAC's Hermann Trophy are selected by Division I head coaches who are current members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. A list of 15 semifinalists is selected by a coaches committee in November, with three finalists announced in early December. They will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo., for a news conference on January 9, 2009, where the winner will be announced, with a presentation banquet following.

A preseason Atlantic 10 All-Conference selection last month, Pardini was one of five Atlantic 10 players on the initial list, which included three players from Saint Louis and one from Dayton.

Pardini was a First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection this past fall, after another outstanding season at defender, starting all 19 games, helping the Rams' defense to five shutouts and a 1.37 goals against average. He also found the stat sheet offensively, posting two goals and an assist. One of Pardini's goal was arguably the biggest of the season for Fordham, as it was the game-winner against Richmond in the season finale, which gave Fordham a berth at the 2007 Atlantic 10 Tournament.

The Rams qualified for last season's Atlantic 10 Championship for the first time since the 1998. Fordham opens the 2008 season by playing in the Loyola Black and Decker Soccer Classic at Loyola College on August 29th and 31st. Fordham will open the tournament by facing the host school on the 29th at 5:00 p.m. and then take on Drexel University on the 31st at 11:00 a.m.