Photo courtesy of University of Dayton
University of Dayton’s Liv Grenda and University of North Carolina’s Ryan Zellefrow are two of the local players to be highlighted by the United Soccer Coaches and IWSOC on the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy Players to Watch for the 2026 season. Grenda, who hails from Perkasie, PA, and Zellefrow, from Berwyn, PA, are both junior midfielders looking to build on their successful sophomore seasons in which each earned all-conference accolades.
The MAC/ Hermann Trophy is college soccer’s most prestigious award honoring the nation’s best Division I players dating back to 1967. The award is named after Robert Hermann, former Chairman of the Executive Committee for the NPSL, Previous winners with local connections include: Andrew Wenger (2011: Duke, Lititz, PA), Jim Stamaitis (1979: Penn State, Bethlehem, PA), Billy Gazonas (1977: Hartwick, Trenton, NJ), and Glenn Myernick (1967: Hartwick, Trenton, NJ).
Here are the local Players to Watch for 2026:
Liv Grenda, Jr., University of Dayton, Perkasie, PA
In 2025, Grenda was named the Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year as well as First Team All-Conference honors, leading Dayton to a 10-0 conference record. She started all 22 games for the Flyers, contributing 6 goals and 4 assists for 16 points, with two of those goals game-winners.
In 2024, as a freshman, she scored 7 goals, adding 1 assist for 15 points. 3 of her goals were game-winners. She was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.
A graduate of Pennridge, and former player for FC Bucks in the ECNL, Grenda earned All-State Honors and was named SOL MVP as a senior. She was a two-time State Champion with the Rams (2020, 2023) and finished as Runners-up in 2022. Her 29 goals during her senior year was a Pennridge single-season record.
This past summer, Grenda played for Vermont Green in USLW.
Ryan Zellefrow, Jr., Midfielder, University of North Carolina, Berwyn, PA
A transfer from the University of Vermont, Zellefrow made his debut with UNC days ago, scoring in a 5-4 exhibition win over Liberty. Last season, he was named to the America East All-Conference First Team and All-Northeast Region First Team after numerous strong performances for the Catamounts. He had 3 goals and 4 assists, with two of those goals coming in a win over Fairfield. He also provided two assists against New Hampshire.
In 2024, Zellefrow won a National Championship with Vermont, and one of his two goals came against Iona in a 5-0 win in the First Round.
A player in the Philadelphia Union Academy, he also scored the winner in 2023 PIAA 4A State final for Conestoga his senior year. Representing Vermont Green in the USL this summer, he scored the game-winner in USL 2 final, earning the game’s MVP. He also won the Hank Steinbrecher Cup, starting for Vermont, in their 4-1 win over West Chester United.
Kylie Maxwell, So., Forward, Wake Forest University, Langhorne, PA
Maxwell had a fantastic start to her college career, earning ACC Freshman of the Year, only the second player in school history to win the award. In addition, she was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team, All-ACC Third Team, and TopDrawerSoccer’s Freshman Top XI. Maxwell led the Demon Deacons with 6 goals and 5 assists for 17 points and carried the frontline into the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The U-19 and U-20 USYNT player from Neshaminy High School was named Pennsylvania’s 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year and Southeastern PA’s POTY. Her senior season, she broke Neshaminy’s single-season record with 38 goals and 15 assists. Maxwell played club soccer for the Ukranian Nationals in the ECNL.
Drew Roskos, Jr., Forward, Bucknell University, Delran, NJ
The 2025 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, Roskos led the conference with 8 goals and 17 points. He finished the season ranked 22nd in NCAA with 1.50 shots per game and 33rd with 51.9% of his shots hitting the target. He finished season with 8 goals in his last 13 games, scoring winners against Holy Cross and Navy.
In 2024, he contributed 3 goals and 3 assists for the Bison and scored the second and assisted on the third in a 3-0 win over Colgate in the Patriot League Championship.
A three-time Gatorade High School All-American from Delran High School, Roskos tallied 84 career goals, including a school-record 33 in 2021. Delran won back-to-back NJ state titles in 2021 and 2022 and lost in the 2023 finals during his senior year
Hannah Dickinson, Gr., Goalkeeper, Villanova University, Seattle, WA
Dickinson returns to Villanova after a 2025 season in which she was named to the All-Big East Second Team and All-East Third Team. Her .964 goals against average and .80 save percentage ranked third in the league for the 9-8-1 Wildcats. Her 69 saves ranked second in the Big East, and her 8 solo shutouts (9 total SO) ranked 33rd in NCAA. She recorded a career-high 15 saves in a 1-0 loss to then No.12 Georgetown. Her 14 career shutouts rank fifth in school history, and her 1.10 career GAA is tied for fourth.
Dickinson was named a Big East Scholar Athlete, only the second soccer player in school history to win the award.
In 2024, she was also named to the All-Big East Second Team after leading the conference with 88 saves. Prior to Nova, Dickinson played the 2023 season with USC, and her .84 GAA for the Trojans ranked third in the Pac-12 as USC reached as high as 11th in country.
Dickinson played club soccer with Crossfire XF and Seattle Reign Academy and was named the 2021 Washington High School POTY while at Lakeside.
Thomas Robertson, Sr., Forward, Lehigh University, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Lehigh’s top scorer in 2025 with 6 goals (13 points), Robertson finished third in the Patriot League in goals with two of those goals as game-winners. He earned First Team All-Patriot League and Second Team All-Atlantic Region
In 2024, Robertson contributed 3 goals and 1 assist, scoring a brace against American, earning his first of two Patriot League Player of the Week honors. He also added 2 goals and an assist in 2023.
