VANCOUVER, BC - The finalists for the 2015 MLS Awards were announced today and Vancouver Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson, goalkeeper David Ousted, and defender Kendall Waston are in the running for Coach of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, and Defender of the Year, respectively.
The league released the lists of three finalists for the 2015 MLS Awards on Tuesday, as well as the announcement schedule for the winners of each honour.
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)
- Media members who consistently covered the 2015 MLS Regular Season
Robinson, 39, coached the league's youngest team to a club-record 53 points and a second-place finish in the Western Conference. The Wales native also steered the 'Caps to their first-ever Voyageurs Cup in the Amway Canadian Championship last August, while managing the club’s first appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League. Under Robinson’s direction, Whitecaps FC finished the MLS season with the best road record en route to a Knockout Round bye in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Ousted, 30, finished the MLS regular season in the top five of several statistical categories – first in penalties saved (three), tied for first in clean sheets (13), second in wins (16), third in goals against average (1.06), and tied for fifth in save percentage (73.3%). The 2015 MLS All-Star took home MLS Save of the Week four times, most notably on Week 17 when he stopped New York Red Bulls striker and 2014 MLS Golden Boot Award winner Bradley Wright-Phillips twice on penalty kicks. The Greve, Denmark native was named MLS Player of the Month for June, finishing the season as the only goalkeeper to receive the recognition this season. Last Sunday, Ousted added another shutout to his resume in the 0-0 draw at Portland Timbers in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Waston, 27, anchored a Whitecaps FC backline that allowed only 36 goals this season, tied for fewest in the league. The Costa Rican was an imposing presence all season, placing second in aerials won (121), fourth in the league in clearances with 193 (133 of them are headed clearances, second most in MLS), 15th in the league in duels won (183), 13th in interceptions (112), and tied for 11th in blocks (21). The 2015 Whitecaps FC Player of the Year also contributed two goals for the 'Caps in the regular season, and figured prominently in last Sunday’s Knockout Round draw, tallying six clearances, five interceptions and a block in the road shutout.
Robinson, Ousted, Waston and the rest of the 'Caps resume their 2015 MLS Playoffs run on Sunday, November 8 when they host Portland Timbers in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals at BC Place. The match will be the first-ever MLS playoff game in Vancouver. Visit whitecapsfc.com/playoffs for ticket information.
2015 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Defender of the Year Finalists
Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact)
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)
Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
Coach of the Year Finalists
Jesse Marsch (New York Red Bulls)
Oscar Pareja (FC Dallas)
Carl Robinson (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Bill Hamid (D.C. United)
David Ousted (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Awards Announcements Schedule:
Schedule subject to change
November 11: MLS Defender of the Year
November 19: MLS Goalkeeper of the Year
November 24: MLS Coach of the Year
November 29: MLS Best XI
Be a part of the best sporting atmosphere in Vancouver! 2016 Whitecaps FC Season Tickets are now on sale. In addition to Season Tickets, Whitecaps FC offer a flexible range of ticket products, including Half-Season Packs, 5-Packs, a Youth Soccer Half-Season Ticket, and single match tickets. For more information, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
