MAC/Hermann Golden Whistle Award Established

November 19, 2025  l  Complete Release

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) and Hermann Trophy along with the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) announce the establishment of the MAC/Hermann Golden Whistle Award, which will annually recognize the top referee in college soccer and serve as the premier national honor for excellence in U.S. collegiate officiating.

The 2025 winner will be announced Dec. 18 and recognized at the MAC/Hermann Award banquet Jan. 9, in St. Louis. This new award will highlight the critical role referees play in the college game and further elevate national awareness around the standards in NCAA officiating.

The selection of the MAC Hermann Golden Whistle Award will follow a national, multi-stage process designed to ensure equality and excellence. Nominations will be submitted by Division I conference assignors, NCAA representatives, and NISOA leadership. The resulting nomination list will showcase the top officials who exemplify outstanding performance, true professionalism, and unwavering fairness throughout the season. Once nominations are finalized, a Selection Committee comprised of key collegiate soccer stakeholders will conduct a two-round, ranked voting process. Through this system, the committee will determine the award recipient, ensuring that the honoree reflects the highest standards of collegiate officiating.

“Our partnership with NISOA reflects our shared belief that soccer reaches its highest potential when every part of it is elevated: the players, the coaches, and the referees who safeguard its integrity,” said Chair of the MAC/Hermann Trophy Committee, Merrill Hermann. “With the launch of the Golden Whistle Award, we acknowledge a long-overdue truth—excellence on the field cannot be fully celebrated without honoring the officials who uphold the foundation of the game.”

The partnership reinforces a unified effort to spotlight the impact of elite officiating on fair play, athlete development, and the overall growth of U.S. collegiate soccer.

“The National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) is proud to partner with the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) and the Hermann Trophy with the inaugural MAC/Hermann Golden Whistle Award,” said NISOA President, Jude Carr. “The creation of this award marks a significant milestone in advancing excellence, integrity, and professionalism in collegiate soccer officiating. The Hermann Trophy is the oldest and most prestigious award in college soccer and this partnership reflects our shared dedication to recognizing the very best in college soccer. Through this award, NISOA aims to further its mission of developing top-tier officials and enhancing the quality of officiating across collegiate soccer. Together, we will continue to elevate the standards of the sport and inspire the next generation of referees.”

The Hermann Trophy is presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club and is the nation’s highest individual honor recognizing the National Player of the Year as determined by voting of Division I head coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches. It is named in honor of the late Robert Hermann, the legendary St. Louis businessman and soccer executive who founded the National Professional Soccer League, the first pro soccer league in the United States which became the North American Soccer League (NASL). He was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001.

The National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) is an organization of more than 5,000 soccer officials which aims to unify all intercollegiate soccer entities through development initiatives and collaboration with all governing soccer organizations in the United States for the advancement of referees. The mission of NISOA is to identify and recruit officials for the collegiate game while progressively developing NISOA members to their highest potential through collaboration initiatives.