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U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year Candidates
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Abby Wambach | Forward
With her second most productive season in her six-year national team career (17 goals, eight assists), Wambach began to etch her name into U.S. Soccer’s record books. In the first game of the year against Norway at the Four Nations Tournament in China, she scored her 50th career goal, the second-quickest in U.S. history to reach the milestone behind Hall of Fame forward Michelle Akers. The fantastic start continued the rest of the year with four multiple-goal games – including two hat-tricks – that allowed her to surpass Shannon MacMillan and move into sixth place on the all-time goal-scoring list. She ended the year with 66 career goals in 84 international matches, the best goals-per-game ratio in U.S. history. With size, speed and skill perhaps unmatched in the world, Wambach was one of 20 players nominated for the 2006 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year.
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Kristine Lilly | Forward
Already a two-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year(1993 and 2005), Lilly’s amazing consistency puts her in position for a third award. At the age of 35, the USA captain hit the unfathomable total of 300 caps to begin the year, and showed throughout the year that she was not only one of the best players on the U.S. team, but also in the world. Lilly had her best scoring year ever in her amazing 19-year career for the Women’s National Team with 13 goals, including the winner in the final seconds of overtime to give the USA a 2-1 win over Canada in the championship game of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup. Even more representative of her clutch play, eight of her goals were either game-winning or game-tying strikes. Long a flank midfielder, her move to forward over the last two years helped lead to her fabulous season and earned her a nomination for the 2006 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year. She also picked up numerous other awards in tournament play this year, including Best Player and Top Scorer at the Four Nations Tournament, and the Golden Ball (Most Valuable Player) and Silver Boot (second leading scorer) during the Peace Queen Cup and the MVP of the Women’s Gold Cup.
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Cat Whitehill | Defender
While she might have started the year off with a new last name, Whitehill (formerly Reddick - she got married on Dec. 31, 2005) continued to be as steady as ever from her central back position. She missed the Four Nations Tournament in China due to her honeymoon, and missed three domestic matches due to a foot injury, but started almost every game for the U.S. to play a major role in helping the team set a record for consecutive unbeaten matches at 32. Although a forward as a youth player, her goal production in 2006 was remarkable as she almost doubled her career output with five goals – including a stunning 70-yard bomb off a free kick against Sweden – putting her at 11 for her career and becoming just the third defender in history to reach double-digits. Sitting at 99 caps in her seven-year national team career, Whitehill is just one game away from becoming the 19th player in history to earn her 100th appearance with the Women’s National Team.
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Hope Solo | Goalkeeper
After a breakout year in 2005, Solo continued to solidify her position as the first-choice goalkeeper for the U.S. with career highs in almost every category. The Richland, Wash., native more than doubled her career starts (18), wins (14), minutes (1680) and shutouts (10) in a year, while also decreasing her goals against average to 0.66. Solo came up with numerous timely saves during the year, especially during the Algarve Cup and Women’s Gold Cup championship games, to help the U.S. set its record-breaking wining streak. She also has contributed to the attack due to her world-class kicking game and impressive distribution with her hands. Solo snagged Best Goalkeeper awards at the Four Nations Tournament and the Algarve Cup, racking up multiple shutouts in each tournament. Before a goal by France at the Algarve Cup, Solo had run her personal streak of not allowing a goal from the run of play to 1,054 minutes.
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Leslie Osborne | Midfielder
After coming off the bench for more than two years, Osborne was handed a starting role halfway through the year after Shannon Boxx got injured, and the Milwaukee, Wis., native performed magnificently against Sweden at the defensive midfield position in her first domestic start of the year. Earning the confidence of the coaching staff and her teammates, ‘Ozzy’ has started almost every game since then, more than doubling her career appearances and starts, and also registering her first points with two goals and an assist, including a huge score against Canada in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup final. During the Peace Queen Cup, Osborne was one of the best players on the field for the U.S. as she helped the team earn three shutouts on the way to winning the title over Canada. Osborne’s confidence, poise, composure and skill on the ball were huge boosts to the U.S. midfield as her overall performance belied her relatively small number of caps (30 at the end of 2006) and lack of World Championship experience.
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U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year Candidates
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Clint Dempsey | Midfielder
2006 proved to be the true international coming out party for ‘Deuce,’ the dynamic and flashy midfielder who electrified crowds with his enthusiasm as much as his moves. Dempsey netted an astounding four goals in nine games for the USA, three of which earned their way onto the final list for Best Goal of the Year. In addition to his game-winning header against Poland in the ‘Blizzard of Kaiserslautern’, he tallied the team’s lone goal in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, while starting two of three matches in Germany. Voted to the 2006 MLS Best XI, Dempsey’s eight goals and four assists helped lead the New England Revolution to their second consecutive MLS Cup final.
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Bobby Convey | Midfielder
Establishing himself as one of the USA’s newest threats on the left flank, Convey impressed U.S. fans with his fearlessness in taking on defenders and serving dangerous balls from the wings. Appearing in all three of the USA’s matches in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, his numerous forays into the attack provided the U.S. with some of its best opportunities in the tournament. Convey earned Sierra Mist Man of the Match honors in the first match of the Send-Off Series, setting up Brian Ching for the game-winning goal in the 2-0 win against Venezuela on May 22 in Nashville. He had a dramatic turnaround in only his second season at Reading FC, scoring seven goals in 44 matches and earning plaudits as a big factor in the Royals gaining promotion to England’s top division for the first time in the 135-year history of the club.
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Brian McBride | Forward
The three-time World Cup veteran capped off a stellar 13-year international career by starting all three matches in Germany, and his tireless effort helped secure the 1-1 draw against eventual world champions Italy. He has produced 30 goals through 95 matches, leaving him as the USA’s second all-time leading scorer. While the best forward in U.S. Soccer history has a well-known prowess in the air, it was his relentless work-rate and unselfish play that was most evident in Germany, qualities that earnined him the admiration of his teammates throughout his career. He scored his final international goal in the USA’s 1-0 win against Latvia in trademark fashion, heading home a perfect cross from the right flank from defender Steve Cherundolo, an effort that earned him Sierra Mist Man of the Match honors. McBride had a standout season at Fulham, producing nine goals – including tallies against Chelsea and Manchester United - while appearing all but one of the team’s matches in the EPL. His exploits earned him Player of the Year honors for the Cottagers as well as a contract extension.
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Kasey Keller | Goalkeeper
Keller continued to exemplify the leadership and commitment to the national team which has earned him near legendary status in the U.S. Soccer community. One of only two players in U.S. history to appear on four World Cup rosters, he clearly earned the number one spot for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. His Sierra Mist Man of the Match performance against Italy – which included a point-blank save on Alessandro Del Piero late in the game – personified the game-changing ability that has been his calling card for both club and country. The USA’s all-time leader in wins, shutouts and World Cup qualifying wins completed his second season manning the nets for Borussia Moenchengladbach, where he kept six clean sheets, helping secure their place in the Bundesliga while earning Keller the captain’s armband for the 2006-07 campaign.
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Oguchi Onyewu | Defender
With the body of a linebacker and the heart of a lion, Onyewu turned in one of the better performances at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Quickly proving his mettle in one-on-one match-ups, ‘Gooch’ handled the assignments of marking two of the world’s most imposing attackers - the Czech Republic’s Jan Koller and Italy’s Luca Toni – with fearlessness and determination. Adding deft ball skills to an imposing presence, Onyewu has demonstrated an understanding of the intricacies required to orchestrate a defense at the international level. With his impressive performance in Germany, Onyewu drew interest from a number of clubs in Europe but, for the time, being has stayed at Standard de Liege in Belgium.
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U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year Candidates
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Danesha Adams | Forward
The blazing fast Adams was a standout for both the U-20 and U-21 Women’s National Teams in 2006, and also earned her first cap for the senior Women’s National Team against Chinese Taipei. She was also named to the roster for the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup. Adams was the leading scorer for the U-21s in 2006, scoring nine goals, including a team-leading five at the 2006 Nordic Cup which included a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Norway that sent the USA to the title game. She did her best work, however, at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship, where she won the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third most valuable player and was named to the FIFA All-Star Team. She scored three goals in Russia, including two in the big semifinal win over Germany. After returning to college, she helped lead UCLA to a highly successful season and into the NCAA Final Four by scoring 12 goals with three assists in her 18 matches.
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Val Henderson | Goalkeeper
The fearless goalkeeper saw action for both the U.S. U-21 and U-20 Women’s National Team in 2006. She was the starting goalkeeper for the USA at the 2006 U-21 Nordic Cup, but distinguished herself at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship in Russia. After sitting on the bench for the first two group matches, she started the third game against France and pitched a 1-0 shutout, making three goal-saving stops to help the USA to the group title. She played every minute of the three knock-out round games, giving up just one goal over the 330 minutes, including shutouts in both the semifinal against China and the third-place match against Brazil. In the penalty kick shootout in the semifinal, she made a spectacular save on China’s fifth kick, setting up the USA for a chance to win the match on its fifth kick, but the Americans did not convert. For her efforts, she was named to the FIFA All-Star Team. After returning from Russia, she has started 20 games for UCLA, allowing just 13 goals, and helping the Bruins into the NCAA Final Four.
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Stephanie Lopez | Defender
The smooth outside back was the captain of the U.S. team that participated in the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship, starting all four matches in which she played. A member of the USA’s Residency Training Camp for part of the summer before leaving for Russia, she earned eight of her nine career caps with the full national team in 2006, playing in the Algarve Cup and the USA’s matches in Japan, as well as several domestic games. She made her first career start against France at the Algarve Cup, playing extremely well while going the entire 90 minutes in the 4-1 U.S. victory. She also came off the bench to make a major contribution to the USA’s 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the 2006 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup final. As a key player for the Portland Pilots this fall, she returned from Russia to start 13 of the 14 matches in which she played while helping the Pilots to the NCAA quarterfinals. Her amazing composure in the back and ability to attack down the flanks with speed makes her one of the brightest young talents in the U.S. WNT player pool.
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Amanda Poach | Midfielder
The skillful midfielder was one of the USA’s best players at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship in Russia, picking up three assists in the tournament as she pulled the strings in the U.S. midfield. Her service to Danesha Adams that led to a far-post header against Germany was one of the best goals of the competition. She was named to the FIFA All-Star Team following the completion of the tournament. After returning to Santa Clara for her college season, she played in 17 matches, scoring two goals with three assists and helping the Broncos to a West Coast Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Playoffs.
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Amy Rodriguez | Forward
The powerful striker was a key player for the USA at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship in Russia, scoring two goals, including one against Germany in the semifinal. She played in three matches for the senior Women’s National Team in 2006, all at the 2006 Algarve Cup. After returning from Russia, she helped lead USC into the NCAA Playoffs by starting 13 of the 16 matches in which she played and scoring four goals with three assists. “A-Rod” scored one of the biggest goals of her collegiate career in the first-round of the NCAAs, tallying late in the game against Santa Clara as the Trojans upset the Broncos, 1-0. Rodriguez was also a member of the USA’s Residency Training Camp.
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U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year Candidates
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Josmer Altidore | Forward
After getting drafted 17th overall in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, Altidore had to wait for his chance to contribute to the N.Y. Red Bulls until the final third of the season as the 16-year-old had yet to complete his high school studies in Florida. When he was finally given the green light by head coach Bruce Arena, ‘Jozy’ scored three goals, including two game-winners against Columbus and Chicago, in the last seven regular season games, helping the Red Bulls sneak into the playoffs. Against D.C. United in the home-and-away Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, Altidore notched the lone goal for the Red Bulls with a world-class header in the second match. Despite being the youngest player on the Under-20s, Altidore’s combination of speed and strength has garnered him two international goals in eight games this year and head coach Thomas Rongen is already stating he will be one of the starting forwards for the CONCACAF Under-20 Qualifying Tournament next January.
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Quavas Kirk | Midfielder
The lanky midfielder bounced back in 2006 after struggling to return from a broken foot that limited his abilities on the field. When he was finally 100 percent healthy, he steadily progressed with the L.A. Galaxy, moving from the reserve team to get regular time with the first team by midseason. ‘Q’ logged just under 1,000 minutes, getting 10 starts in the 22 games in which he played and scoring two important goals during the Galaxy’s run to the Open Cup championship. While still learning to be productive at the professional level on a consistent basis, Kirk’s greatest asset so far has been a keen ability to send dangerous crosses into the box for his teammates. During his first year with the U-20s, Kirk has been a consistent contributor and has even handled an occasional positional change from right midfield to right back as the coaching staff continues to figure out the best line-up to put on the field.
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Johann Smith | Forward
Considered somewhat of an unknown just two years ago, Smith has had a meteoric rise with both club and country in 2006. A forward with explosive pace and athleticism, the Connecticut native made the jump from Bolton FC’s reserve squad to the first team in October, getting 34 minutes in a Carling Cup match and then tackling Manchester United’s Gary Neville for his first ever touch during an English Premier League match. Even with his inclusion in Bolton’s first team, the club has been generous in allowing their young star to play in five international matches – in which he’s tallied a goal and an assist – with the Under-20 MNT. Smith might not make it back in with the U-20s until a few days before the CONCACAF U-20 Qualifying Tournament kicks off in January, but you can expect to see him starting up top with fellow candidate Josmer Altidore.
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Nathan Sturgis | Defender
A steady and smooth defender who barely seems to get flustered on the field, Sturgis was the first pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft for the Los Angeles Galaxy (ninth overall) and won a starting spot on the backline by opening day. The former U-17 standout and Clemson product started all 15 matches he played in during the first half of the season before an injury kept him on the sidelines for the remainder of the year. A member of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship squad, Sturgis is still age eligible for the Under-20s and is considered to be one of the top veterans by head coach Thomas Rongen. The center back returned from his injury near the end of the MLS season and anchored the U-20 backline during their preparation matches for the upcoming qualifying tournament for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
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Preston Zimmerman | Forward
A hard-nosed and courageous player with a knack for scoring goals, Zimmerman continues to shine as one of the most promising young forwards in the U.S. After an impressive showing at the 2005 U-17 FIFA World Championship last fall, Zimmerman attracted interest from numerous clubs overseas before settling at Hamburg SV in the German Bundesliga. Unable to play with the first team until he turned 18 (which he did on Nov. 21), Zimmerman has played mainly with the reserves since signing with Hamburg in January, but now that he’s age-eligible, he could follow in the footsteps of fellow American Benny Feilhaber, who won a starting position this fall (and also won the 2005 Young Male Athlete of the Year Award). One of the most consistent U-20 players up front, Zimmerman has played in seven of the teams 11 international games, tallying a goal and an assist.
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