The soccer beat goes on for Meghan Schnur.

The Butler graduate and University of Connecticut senior has been named one of 46 candidates nationwide for the 2007 Hermann Trophy, symbolic of the best NCAA women's soccer player in the country.

"I'm extremely honored just to be on that list,"Schnur said. "Some of those players I know, some of them I don't. But they are the best there is."

Schnur was also selected unanimously as a preseason choice to make the Big East first team by the conference's coaches. She was Big East Midfielder of the Year, a second team Soccer Buzz All-American and NSCAA Academic All-American last season.

This summer, she led the New England Mutiny of the Women's Premier Soccer League to an undefeated regular season, scoring eight goals and nine assists in 12 games.

Schnur also scored the game-winning goal with two minutes left in double overtime to send the Mutiny to the WPSL championship round. She was named first team all-league.

"That whole season was a tremendous experience," Schnur said. "There were seven UConn players on that team and our success gives us a lot of confidence going into this season."

Entering her final collegiate campaign, Schnur has 15 goals, 19 assists and 49 points in her college career. She yearns to get back to the Final Four, where the Huskies wound up her freshman year.

UConn isn't even picked to win the Big East this fall, however.

"That's OK, if that's what they think,"Schnur said of the poll. "We're going out there to prove them wrong."

Regardless, Schnur's soccer career will not end with the upcoming season. A physical therapy major, she is attending graduate school next year and will be a volunteer assistant coach for the Huskies.

Beyond that, she has hopes of playing more soccer for the United States national team. She had to decline a bid to play for the U.S. under-23 women's team at the Nordic Cup tournament in Norway because of school.

"I'm not ready to grow up just yet,"Schnur said. "Soccer has been such a big part of my life and part of decisions I've made for so long.

"I'm hoping to still play on the national team. I'm planning on it."

While Schnur said improvement in the mental side of the game has been where she's grown as a college player, UConn coach Len Tsantiris said her physical fitness is where she's gained the most.

"The last two years, Meghan has been playing at another level,"Tsantiris said. "She's more active, her demeanor on the field is better and her fitness is incredible. She can run all day.

"Her preseason accolades are well-deserved. People have seen her. They know what kind of player she is."

The 46 players in contention for the Hermann Trophy are determined by the Division INational Soccer Coaches Association of America. That list will be pared to 15 semifinals in November and three finalists in December.

The winner will be presented the award Jan. 11 by the Missouri Athletic Club.

"Meghan is in that top tier of player,"Tsantiris said. "Her vision and awareness for the game is unmatched. She defends better now, she can roam from sideline to sideline and she understands and executes the transition from defending to attacking."

Schnur said the entire UConn team is in better shape physically, something the team vowed to do as a unit during the off-season.

"We made that commitment to each other,"she said. "We want to peak physically. We've done that through the nutritional aspect and the aerobic aspect.

"You can always control what you eat and drink and how hard you work. Soccer games at this level usually come down to who's stronger in the last five minutes. We want to be that team."