CHICAGO, Ill. - Former Portland Pilots Kasey Keller and Steve Cherundolo are two of the five finalists for the prestigious 2005 U.S. Male Soccer Athlete of the Year Award, announced by the sport’s governing body in the United States. Finalists for the Female, Young Male and Young Female Awards were also announced.
With the announcement, voting for the high profile annual U.S. Soccer awards begins at ussoccer.com, with fans having the opportunity to make their selections through a multimedia voter interface once a day through Friday, Dec. 16, 2005.
Online votes for the annual awards will be tallied and equivalent to 50 percent of the total votes. As in years past, the other 50 percent will be represented by 100 votes compiled from members of the national media and U.S. Soccer representatives (from National Team coaches to the National Board of Directors).
U.S. Soccer’s Male and Female Athletes of the Year awards are the oldest and most prestigious awards of their kind, dating back to 1984 for the Men and 1985 for the Women. The finalists for each award were nominated on the basis of: a) competing and excelling at the highest level (both at the National Team and professional level) during the calendar year; b) exhibiting decorum on and off the field which reflects well on U.S. Soccer; and c) contributing toward the growth, development, credibility and popularization of soccer in the USA.
U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year Candidates:
DaMarcus Beasley, Midfielder
The high-flying midfield speedster had an outstanding year in the production department, posting career highs for both goals (4) and assists (4). A key figure in the USA’s World Cup qualifying campaign, Beasley scored what is the presumptive favorite for Goal of the Year.
Steve Cherundolo, Defender
2005 may well be the year that Steve Cherundolo finally staked his claim as the starting right back for the MNT. Combining consistency with composure, Cherundolo displayed poise on the ball and guile in his man-marking abilities as part of a U.S. defense that surrendered only 11 goals in 19 matches.
Landon Donovan, Midfielder
The USA’s engine in the attack, Donovan finished as the team leader in every statistical category that counts. The two-time defending Player of the Year proved a model of consistent productivity, registering a goal or an assist in eight of 12 games he started in 2005.
Kasey Keller, Goalkeeper
Keller was nothing short of giant in the goal for the U.S. in 2005, his calming leadership presence only equaled by his impressive collection of world-caliber saves. With a total of eight shutouts in 13 games, he led the U.S. on a shutout run of 639 minutes that spanned seven World Cup qualifiers.
Oguchi Onyewu, Defender
With the body of a linebacker and the heart of a lion, Onyewu enjoyed a coming out party in 2005 as a key member of the U.S. backline. Adding deft ball skills to an imposing presence, Onyewu is quickly picking up the intricacies of orchestrating a defense at the international level.
