MLS Columbus Crew SC

Crew announces year-end team award winners

Published on October 25, 2007 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Crew announced the winners of its team awards Wednesday night at its annual Crew Team Awards Ceremony, presented by adidas, held at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. The ceremony was followed for the first time by a Casino Night, the proceeds of which benefited the Crew's charitable arm, the Crew Soccer Foundation.

The winners were as follows: Honda Most Valuable Player, Guillermo Barros Schelotto; Defender of the Year, Frankie Hejduk; Budweiser Golden Boot, Alejandro Moreno; Huntington Man of the Year, Duncan Oughton; Coaches Award, Ezra Hendrickson; Newcomer of the Year, Guillermo Barros Schelotto; Sierra Mist Goal of the Year, Alejandro Moreno; OhioHealth Comeback Player of the Year, Frankie Hejduk; U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year, Danny O'Rourke; Crew Soccer Foundation Crew Chiefs Hardest Working Man of the Year, Alejandro Moreno; Crew Fan's Choice; and Crew Fan of the Year, Andrew Goodrich. Below is a summary of each winner.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Crew Honda Most Valuable Player

In recognition of his outstanding play this season, American Honda Motor Company and your local Honda dealers were pleased to present the 2007 Crew Honda Most Valuable Player Award to Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who collected five goals and 11 assists in 22 games, finishing fourth in the league in assists, in his first MLS season. Three of his goals were game-winners and his sublime performances were recognized with two MLS Player of the Week selections, MLS Player of the Month honors for July and inclusion on the MLS inactive All-Star roster.

Frankie Hejduk - Crew Defender of the Year

The Crew 2007 Defender of the Year award was presented to Frankie Hejduk. After missing almost all of last season with a torn ACL, Hejduk was back in the lineup on opening day and was a stalwart at right back for the Crew all season. He started all 24 games in which he appeared, while wearing the captain's armband, and tallied three assists, while anchoring the Crew's back line and tirelessly getting up and down the right flank. Now in his fifth season with the Crew, his impressive return to form was recognized in July, when he was named to the MLS inactive All-Star roster.

Alejandro Moreno - Crew Budweiser Golden Boot

The Budweiser Golden Boot Award is presented to the player who, over the course of the regular season, scored the most goals for his team. This year, that distinction belonged to forward Alejandro Moreno, who found the back of the net seven times, often in breathtaking fashion - while adding seven assists - in 25 games after joining the Crew in May.

Duncan Oughton - Huntington Man of the Year

The Huntington Man of the Year award is presented to the player who embodies an exceptional sense of leadership, civic pride, family values and community service. Duncan Oughton, a true leader on and off the field, is this year's winner. In his first full season since 2004, having missed the entire 2005 season and much of 2006 while recovering from an experimental knee surgery, Oughton appeared in 19 games, including 13 starts, and tallied a goal and four a , veteran presence on and off the field.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Newcomer of the Year

Guillermo Barros Schelotto was named the Crew Newcomer of the Year. One of the most popular players in the history of storied Argentine power Boca Juniors, Schelotto signed with Columbus on April 19 and proceeded to dazzle fans with his talent, vision and guile. While becoming a fan favorite in central Ohio and with scores of Boca fans chanting his name at every stadium the Crew visited this year, Schelotto produced five goals and a team-leading 11 assists.

Alejandro Moreno - Crew Sierra Mist Goal of the Year

Alejandro Moreno's game-tying goal at New England on June 16 was named Sierra Mist Crew Goal of the Year. Nearing the end of a roller-coaster game at New England that saw the Crew take an early lead before giving up three unanswered Revolution goals in the first half, Moreno capped a stirring comeback by the Crew with a beautiful diving header in the 85th minute. Robbie Rogers distributed the ball from the middle of the field out to the open Guillermo Barros Schelotto on the right wing. Schelotto's curling cross found the diving head of Moreno, who finished in the lower left-hand corner to give Columbus a well-deserved point that served as the springbroard for a six-game unbeaten streak.

Frankie Hejduk - Crew OhioHealth Comeback Player of the Year

The OhioHealth Comeback Player of the Year award was presented to defender Frankie Hejduk, whose comeback from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered early in the 2006 season has been amazing, even by his high standards. Long regarded as one of the most fit players in the league - with a prodigious work rate to match - Hejduk returned to action this year better than ever. One of the most recognizable and dynamic players in Major League Soccer, Hejduk tore the ACL in his right knee on April 29, 2006, in just the fourth game of the season, and was named to his third U.S. World Cup team days later, before the injury was diagnosed. With his season and World Cup dream over, Hejduk set his sights on both returning for the beginning of the 2007 MLS campaign and to the national team picture. With his trademark tenacity and capacity, Hejduk accomplished both, surprising skeptics along the way. He was in the lineup on opening day and has been a stalwart at right back, while wearing the captain's armband, for the Crew all season - except when he's been with the national team. Hejduk was named to the U.S. roster for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and helped the red, white and blue to the confederation championship. He scored a goal vs. Canada in the semifinals and was named to the All-Tournament Team Best 11.

Danny O'Rourke - U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year

The U.S. Soccer Foundation Crew Humanitarian of the Year Award was presented to midfielder Danny O'Rourke, who has been a visible community ambassador for the Crew, after returning to his hometown for his third professional season, giving freely of his time to make public appearances and lending his name and image to support worthy causes. A native of Worthington, the former Hermann Trophy winner and two-time national champion at Indiana University returned to Columbus after a season each in San Jose and New York.

In addition to being one of the club's most tenacious players on the field and most positive and reliable representatives off it, O'Rourke has volunteered to serve as an Athlete Ambassador for Right To Play. Alongside MLS W.O.R.K.S. and adidas, O'Rourke is helping Right To Play raise awareness and funds to help children in the world's most disadvantaged places. His active involvement in his community has seen him visit periodically with pediatric hospital patients, school children and a host of other youth agencies and organizations. He has also volunteered to participate in Public Service Announcements for the City of Columbus' Keep Columbus Beautiful program, highlighting the Crew's annual neighborhood cleanup, and the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio and Mayor's Office, encouraging recycling.

Particularly inspiring has been O'Rourke's passionate involvement in, and support of, the Connor Senn Memorial Match and Scholarship Fund, which added another layer to the Crew organization's longstanding commitment to that cause. The Crew has played the Ohio State men's soccer team in an exhibition match every spring since 2002 to raise funds for a scholarship fund honoring the memory of Senn, a former Buckeye who collapsed on the field during a game in 2001 and died of a congenital heart defect. O'Rourke was a childhood friend and club soccer teammate of Senn's and he wore Connor's No. 22 and the name "SENN" on his Crew jersey to honor his memory in this year's game. O'Rourke then donated the jersey to the silent auction, which - along with corporate sponsors and a record crowd of 2,053 - helped generate record proceeds. O'Rourke was recently featured in a university-produced vignette highlighting the Connor Senn Memorial Match and Scholarship Fund that is being shown in Ohio Stadium during Ohio State football games this season.

Alejandro Moreno - CSF Crew Chiefs Hardest Working Man of the Year

The Crew Chiefs supporters sponsor the Crew Soccer Foundation Crew Chiefs Hardest Working Man of the Year Award and they selected, in consultation with the Crew front office and coaching staff, forward Alejandro Moreno. In addition to being the club's leading goal scorer, the six-year MLS veteran has exemplified everything that the award's name implies, playing gritty, hard-nosed minutes while doing non-stop work as a target forward, evidenced by the fact that he led the league in fouls suffered by an incredible 28-foul margin.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Crew Fan's Choice

In online balloting, with no formal, specific criteria, the inaugural Crew Fan's Choice award went to Guillermo Barros Schelotto. Fan's were able to simply vote for their favorite player and there is no question Schelotto became a fan favorite in his first season in Columbus.

Andrew Goodrich - Crew Fan of the Year

Every year, the Crew presents its Fan of the Year award to one particularly dedicated supporter. This year's recipient was longtime fan Andrew Goodrich, who took it upon himself to pay tribute to Crew Founder Lamar Hunt in a very special way. After Mr. Hunt's passing last December, Goodrich created a jersey with Mr. Hunt's name and the No. 1 on its back and, over the course of the next six months, had it signed by a wide variety of people, including current and former Crew coaches, current and former players, MLS broadcasters, Crew Stadium staff and, most importantly, fans. The inspirational piece, which was presented to the Hunt family at a halftime ceremony on July 7, is now displayed in the Guest Services window on game days and is permanently housed in the lobby of Crew Stadium for all fans to enjoy, where it serves as a reminder of the affection, admiration and respect the Crew organization and its fans had for the man.

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Major League Soccer Stories from October 25, 2007


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