Grassi Named to 2022 Hermann Trophy Watch List

LOS ANGELES – UCLA sophomore defender Pietro Grassi has been named to the 2022 Hermann Trophy Watch List, it was announced by United Soccer Coaches on Thursday.

The Hermann Trophy, presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club, is the nation's highest individual honor recognizing the National Player of the Year as determined by the voting of Division I coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches.

Grassi is in exclusive company on the 38-man watch list. Among the recognized student-athletes, Grassi is the only one who is a sophomore or younger, is one of just a dozen defenders, and is one of just two players from the Pac-12.

The nod from United Soccer Coaches is the latest in a series of preseason acclaim for Grassi. Earlier this summer, he was named a Second Team Preseason All-American by College Soccer News, and he was also cited on the United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch list for defenders.

Grassi is coming off a superlative freshman campaign that saw him earn All-Pac-12, All-Far West Region, and Freshman All-America status. The center back started all 19 games as a true freshman, and led all UCLA players with 1,708 minutes. The Milan, Italy native played the full 90 in all but two of UCLA's contests, helping the team to four shutouts and a 1.32 goals against average. Grassi was voted Team Defensive MVP at the program's end-of-year banquet.

All-time, UCLA has had two winners of the Hermann Trophy in Leo Stolz (2014) and Sasha Victorine (1993). Grassi is the first Bruin to make the Hermann Watch List since Erik Holt in 2018.

UCLA opens up the 2022 campaign on Thursday evening, hosting UC Irvine at 7:00 p.m. PT. The game is the nightcap of a doubleheader with UCLA women's soccer, which plays CSUN at 4:00 p.m. PT. Both games will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks, and one ticket grants access to both contests.