Sept. 2, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame senior All-America forward and Hermann Trophy candidate Kerri Hanks (Allen, Texas/Allen) has added yet another honor to her collection, earning a place on the Soccer America National Team of the Week, it was announced Tuesday. It’s the second time in as many days Hanks has been recognized nationally, following her selection as the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week on Monday.
Hanks posted her sixth career hat trick last Friday night in Notre Dame’s 4-0 victory over Loyola Marymount in the Inn at Saint Mary’s Classic at Alumni Field. Already the owner of more than 60 school records, Hanks tied the Irish standard for career three-goal games originally set by Jenny Heft (1996-99), scoring twice on penalty kicks in the first 12 minutes of play, then adding a world-class goal in the final minute, weaving 40 yards through at least four LMU defenders before bending a 25-yard shot into the top right corner of the net.
She nearly added to her scoring total in Sunday’s 2-0 win over No. 12/21 Santa Clara, ringing up three more shots on goal in 75 minutes and helping Notre Dame win its 12th Inn at Saint Mary’s Classic title. Hanks was voted the tournament’s Offensive Most Valuable Player award for the second consecutive year, and becoming only the third multiple winner of that honor in the event’s 16-year history.
For the season, the three-time All-American Hanks has tallied nine points (4G-1A), boosting her career totals to 68 goals and 59 assists and leaving her one assist shy of becoming the sixth player in NCAA Division I history (and the third Notre Dame standout) to register 60 goals and 60 assists in her career. With her next assist, Hanks also will move into a tie for 10th place (with UC Santa Barbara’s Carin Jennings, 1983-86) on the Division I career assists chart (Hanks already is seventh in D-I annals with 0.72 assists per game). She also is in second place on the Irish career points list (195) behind only Jenny Streiffer (211 from 1996-99), and just five points shy of becoming the 18th Division I player with 200 career points (she’s 18th all-time with 2.41 points per game).
Ranked fourth in the Soccer America poll and fifth according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, Notre Dame (3-0) will be back in action Friday at 7 p.m. (ET) when it travels to Chapel Hill, N.C., for a matchup with No. 2/3 North Carolina on the opening night of the Carolina Classic at Fetzer Field.
— ND —