Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris, midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro and defender Chad Marshall were all named finalists for year-end awards by Major League Soccer on Tuesday, the latest accolades for the Sounders' remarkable turnaround season in 2016.
Morris is one of three finalists for AT&T Rookie of the Year after he led all rookies in goals and game-winning goals this season. Morris, 22, led the Sounders in scoring in his first year out of Stanford and set MLS rookie records for game-winning goals (6) and consecutive games with a goal (4), and he set a new scoring mark for U.S.-born rookies (12). He also added four assists during the regular season and added another assist in the team’s win over FC Dallas in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals on Sunday.
Morris is finalist for the award along with Philadelphia Union defender Keegan Rosenberry and NYCFC midfielder Jack Harrison. No Sounders player has ever won the Rookie of the Year award.
Lodeiro, meanwhile, is looking to become the third Sounders player to win the MLS Newcomer of the Year, awarded to a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016. Lodeiro joined the Sounders in July and scored four goals and added eight assists in 13 regular season games after his arrival, helping resurrect the Sounders season with an 8-2-4 record since his signing. He also added two goals in the team’s win over FC Dallas on Sunday, pushing the Sounders to the brink of the Western Conference Championship.
Signed as a Designated Player from famed Argentine side Boca Juniors, Lodeiro is up against Columbus Crew SC forward Ola Kamara and LA Galaxy defender Jelle Van Damme for the Newcomer of the Year award.
Former Sounders forward Fredy Montero previously won the award in 2009 and former winger Mauro Rosales claimed the prize in 2011.
Marshall was named a finalist for the MLS Fair Play award after another season one of the steadiest defenders in MLS, appearing in 30 games during the regular season and matching a career high with four goals. Despite logging nearly 2,700 minutes on the field in 2016, he was whistled for a career-low 13 fouls and he received just two yellow cards this year.
The Sounders are also nominated as one of three teams for the MLS Fair Play award.
The finalists earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups: Current MLS players, MLS clubs (coaches, technical directors, chief business officers and PR directors) and media members who consistently covered the 2016 MLS regular season.
The MLS Fair Play award winners will be named on Nov. 4, followed by the AT&T Rookie of the Year (Nov. 10) and the Newcomer of the Year (Nov. 21).
2016 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls)
David Villa (New York City FC)
Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
Defender of the Year Finalists
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)
Axel Sjoberg (Colorado Rapids)
Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016
Ola Kamara (Columbus Crew SC)
Nico Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders FC)
Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
AT&T Rookie of the Year Finalists
For this award, “rookie” is defined as a player without previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016
Jack Harrison (New York City FC)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
Coach of the Year Finalists
Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)
Oscar Pareja (FC Dallas)
Patrick Vieira (New York City FC)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2016 regular season
Frank Lampard (New York City FC)
Kevin Molino (Orlando City SC)
Chris Pontius (Philadelphia Union)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by Advocare, Finalists
Matt Lampson (Chicago Fire)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
MLS Fair Play Finalists – Individual
Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games and minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
Chris Tierney (New England Revolution)
MLS Fair Play Finalists - Team
Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received, and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
Columbus Crew SC
Seattle Sounders FC
Toronto FC
Referee of the Year Finalists
Alan Kelly
Jair Marrufo
Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
Frank Anderson
Ian Anderson
Eric Boria
Awards Announcements Schedule:
Schedule subject to change
November 3: MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by Advocare
November 4: MLS Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year; Fair Play Award – Individual and Team
November 10: AT&T Rookie of the Year
November 11: MLS Defender of the Year; AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year
November 16: MLS Comeback Player of the Year
November 17: Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year
November 21: Newcomer of the Year
November 29: MLS Coach of the Year
December 6: Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player
TBD: MLS Best XI
