Canadians Jade Rose, Maya Antoine and Mya Jones are among the 56 women named to the 2023 Hermann Trophy watch list.
The award, presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club, goes to the top NCAA player as decided by a vote of Division I coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches.
The men's watch list will be announced Aug. 24.
Rose, a junior defender at Harvard, has won already won eight caps for Canada. But the 20-year-old from Markham, Ont., missed out on the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after suffering an injury at Canada's pre-tournament camp.
In 2022, Rose anchored a Harvard defence that finished second in the Ivy League in allowing less than a goal per game.
Antoine, a fifth-year defender at Vanderbilt, has represented Canada at the under-15, under-17 and under-20 level. The 22-year-old from Vaughan, Ont., was as named first-team All-SEC in 2022 and second-team All-SEC the previous season.
Jones, a fifth-year midfielder/forward at the University of Memphis, has represented Canada at the U-15 and U-20 level. The 22-year-old from Calgary led the Tigers with nine goals -- including three game-winners -- and two assists in 2022.
The women's watch list also includes players from the U.S., Denmark, Ireland, Jamaica and Sweden. There are eight semifinalists from last year.
The lists will be trimmed to 15 men's and women's semifinalists following completion of Division I all-America voting at the end of the fall season. Three finalists will be announced for the women and men on Dec. 6 and 13, respectively.
The winners will be revealed Jan. 5 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo.
Canadian Levonte Johnson, a forward from Syracuse now with the Vancouver Whitecaps, was a finalist for last year's men's award won by Creighton forward Duncan MacAllister McGuire, now with Orlando City.
Edmonton forward Gloire Amanda, a forward with Oregon State who now plays for Whitecaps FC 2, won the award in 2019.
Teal Bunbury (Akron, 2009) is the only other Canadian-born men's winner. The son of former Canadian international Alex Bunbury, Teal has lived in the United States since he was 10 and represents the U.S. internationally.
Canadians Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia, 2016) and Christine Sinclair (Portland, 2004 and '05) have won the women's award.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2023.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press