Penn State women's soccer was fortunate enough to have had an athlete like Christie Welsh to put a Blue and White stamp on the collegiate game. When she won the prestigious Hermann Trophy as the sport's top player in 2001, it was a landmark for the Nittany Lions.

Now, Joanna Lohman has a chance to add her own name to the history books.

Lohman was named a finalist for the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy yesterday for the second straight year. Lohman, a senior midfielder who just finished her last season as a Lion, is one of three players up for collegiate soccer's top award. The winner will be announced at a banquet at the club on Jan. 9.

"It proves that we get national caliber players to come here," Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins said of the nomination. "It's a great thing for Joanna herself. She's done a lot of hard work to be recognized by the coaches."

Challenging the Silver Spring, Md. native for the title are two members of the national champion North Carolina Tar Heels -- senior defender Cat Reddick and sophomore striker Lindsay Tarpley.

Lohman tallied 19 goals and six assists for 44 points this season, numbers that are impressive coming from the center midfield position.

Most impressive among those statistics is that eight of her goals were game-winners. Lohman finished second on the team in scoring, behind fellow Hermann Trophy semifinalist Tiffany Weimer.

Both Lohman and Weimer were among the 15 players named as semifinalists for the award last month, making Penn State one of three schools to have more than one candidate.

In addition to the finalist nomination, Lohman has also earned First-Team Academic All-American honors along with numerous weekly awards throughout the season.

Lohman had also been named to the Hermann Trophy watchlist during the preseason, which selects favorites to challenge for, and win, the award.

The competition she faces for the trophy is daunting, however.

Though still in college, Reddick is considered to be one of the better players in the world, as she started at defense for this year's 2003 U.S. World Cup Team.

Though only appearing in seven games for the Heels this season because of the World Cup, Reddick still managed to net four goals and four assists from her defender position.

Tarpley is one of the premier offensive threats in the country, scoring 19 goals and 54 points in just 21 games this season.

She also pulled off an ACC triple crown of sorts this season, leading the conference in scoring, being named the conference tournament MVP and the 2003 ACC Player of the Year.