USL News Release
Thursday, July 28, 2011
TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues announced the W-League honors for the 2011 season, naming the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year, Coach of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year. The awards were presented at tonight’s Awards Banquet at the 2011 W-League Championship Presented by Umbro in Seattle. Voting was conducted by W-League coaches and general managers.
Most Valuable Player – Mallory Outerbridge, Ottawa Fury
It should come as no surprise that Outerbridge, pictured center, the 2011 W-League points (37) and goals (17) leader, has also been selected as MVP. Nobody else came close to matching Outerbridge’s offensive totals in 2011, and the Western Kentucky University senior is hoping to continue her form and lead her squad to the 2011 W-League title game Sunday in Seattle.
Rookie of the Year – Sydney Leroux, Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Leroux, a U.S. youth national team star preparing for her senior season at UCLA pictured right, paced the Whitecaps attack with 11 goals and two assists in 11 games for the Western Conference champions. Leroux, who edged out Lindsey Horan of the Colorado Rush in final voting, is the all-time U.S. U20 women’s scoring leader with 30 goals in 36 matches.
Defender of the Year – Amanda Fancher, Ottawa Fury
One of the main reasons Ottawa finished with a perfect 12-0-0 record and conceded only five goals in 12 games in 2011 was the dominating presence of Fancher, pictured left. Headed to her senior season at the University of Virginia, Fancher also added a goal and three assists for the Fury. She edged out Long Island’s Sue Weber, the 2010 W-League Defender of the Year, in the voting.
Coach of the Year – Dominic Oliveri, Ottawa Fury
Ottawa is bidding to become the fifth team in W-League history to finish as undefeated and untied champions, and a lot of the credit goes to Oliveri. In his first season at the helm, Oliveri assembled a balanced squad of youth and experience, with four of his players earning post-season honors. Oliveri has continued Ottawa’s tradition of success, with the Fury capturing eight consecutive division titles and posting a 91-6-7 regular season record during that span.
Goalkeeper of the Year – Cynthia Jacobo, Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Preparing for her junior year at Cal State Northridge, Jacobo played every minute for the second-year Blue Heat and was a big reason why they captured the regular season Western Conference crown. Jacobo led the league in saves with 85 and tied for second in wins (8) and shutouts (5).