Wake Forest senior forward Jon Bakero was awarded the Hermann Trophy as the best male college soccer player on Friday.
Bakero scored 16 goals and added 14 assists for Wake in 23 games this season, making him the NCAA's points leader. He was previously named ACC offensive player of the year.
"Last night was one I will never forget," the 21-year-old wrote on Twitter on Saturday. "I couldn't be more honored to receive such a prestigious award. I want to thank my family, friends and girlfriend for believing in me throughout this process. My unbelievable teammates. This only motivates me to keep working!"
The award came on the same day that Major League Soccer announced that Bakero had signed an MLS contract. He will likely be among the top picks in the league's SuperDraft later this month.
Bakero is the son of Jose Mari Bakero, who played for Real Sociedad and Barcelona in the 1980s and '90s, and appeared for Spain at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.
He is the second straight Wake Forest player to win the award after Ian Harkes, who scored two goals in 25 appearances for D.C. United last season.
MLS also announced that Bakero's fellow Hermann Trophy finalist Tomas Hilliard-Arce, a defender from Stanford, had also signed a league contract, as did Wisconsin midfielder Chris Mueller.
Six underclassmen -- Syracuse midfielder Mo Adams, Michican forward Francis Atuahene, Akron defender Joao Moutinho, Wake Forest forward Ema Twumasi, Indiana forward Mason Toye and Maryland forward Gordon Wild -- also signed Generation Adidas contracts with the league. Their contracts will not count against their team's salary budget.