FORT MYERS, Fla. – On Tuesday, No. 14 FGCU men’s soccer senior midfielder Josey Portillo (Metairie, La./Grace King HS) was named to the initial watch list for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) MAC Hermann Trophy.

Selected by head coaches of NCAA Division I programs who are members of the NSCAA, the MAC Hermann Trophy is the highest individual award in intercollegiate soccer.

A total of 35 different schools and seven countries are represented on the list, including players from the United States, Australia, Brazil, England, Ghana, New Zealand and Sweden. Portillo is the only athlete from the Atlantic Sun Conference to appear on the list, as well as, the only player from his home state of Louisiana.

A 2011 Atlantic Sun preseason All-Conference selection, Portillo also became the only A-Sun representative named to College Soccer News’ All-American team with a third team nod. In 2010, the Metairie, La. product finished second on the FGCU squad with 12 points off of four goals and four assists. Netting a pair of game-winners and leading an offensive attack that outscored the opposition 35-11, Portillo earned a spot on the A-Sun All-Conference first team in addition to the NSCAA All-South Region first team.

Voting for the MAC Hermann Trophy is conducted in late November, when a field of 15 semifinalists is reduced to three finalists. Those three will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, where a news conference will be held to announce the winner, followed by a banquet to honor the three finalists.

The Eagles landed four players on the preseason A-Sun All-Conference team, including a pair of unanimous selections and the Defensive Player of the Year in senior goalkeeper Adam Glick (Leola, Pa./Conestoga Valley HS). The Green and Blue topped the A-Sun preseason poll with 77 points, one point better than 2010 A-Sun Tournament champion ETSU (76) which received the remaining four first place votes. Entering their first year of postseason eligibility following the four-year reclassification period, the Eagles also received five votes as the 2011 tournament favorites.

Finishing the season with a 13-3-2 record (9-0-0 A-Sun), the Eagles finished the 2010 season ranked No. 20 nationally. The Green and Blue are set to return 20 players from last year's A-Sun regular season championship squad, including six All-Conference performers. FGCU will open the 2011 campaign with an exhibition match against Florida Southern on Aug. 17 at the FGCU Soccer Complex at 7 p.m.