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Four More Award Winners Announced

August 20, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) News Release


ATLANTA (Wednesday, August 20, 2003) - As the Atlanta Beat and Washington Freedom prepare for Founders Cup III at Torero Stadium in San Diego on Sunday (televised live on ESPN2 at 4:00 p.m. ET), the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) today announced the recipients of the league's Defender of the Year, Executive of the Year, Team Fair Play Award and Team Community Service Award.

Defender of the Year - Joy Fawcett - San Diego Spirit

A mother of three children and still going strong at age 35, San Diego's Joy Fawcett was named the WUSA's 2003 Defender of the Year. Fawcett led San Diego to its first-ever berth in the WUSA Playoffs, the first time in club history the Spirit qualified for the postseason. A member of the U.S. national team since 1987, Fawcett led a defense that finished second in the WUSA in goals allowed (26), while also setting a team record for fewest goals allowed in a season. Fawcett's leadership and control of the backline throughout the season greatly improved a defense that ranked seventh in the league in 2002 when the Spirit allowed 2.00 goals per game.

The Defender of the Year exemplifies an outstanding ability to defend the top attacking players in the WUSA. The player must play a position that is considered to have key defensive responsibilities (midfield or defender). Goalkeepers are not eligible. WUSA coaches, general managers, players and members of the media voted for the 2003 WUSA Defender of the Year.

Executive of the Year - Joe Cummings - Boston Breakers

For the second consecutive season, Boston Breakers General Manager Joe Cummings was the winner of the WUSA Executive of the Year award. Cummings had the foresight to hire Pia Sundhage as the club's head coach at the end of the 2002 season. With Sundhage at the helm, the Breakers went on to win the 2003 WUSA regular season championship and the club's first trip to the WUSA Playoffs. The Executive of the Year award honors the general manager or team front office member of management that exemplified their role with the WUSA. This award takes into consideration the individual's leadership to his/her team, their ability to develop and maintain a strong financial model and their input and foresight in areas for potential future successes of the WUSA. WUSA coaches, general managers, players and a league office panel voted for the Executive of the Year.

Team Community Service Award - San Jose CyberRays

The San Jose CyberRays captured the WUSA Team Community Service award in 2003. The CyberRays' original plan for the 2003 season involved a series of themed home games to generate support for various worthy causes in the community. Then Lark and Roger Chastain, parents of CyberRays captain Brandi Chastain, died unexpectedly, and the organization was faced with challenges of its own. The CyberRays resolved to turn their family tragedy into a positive experience, making the May 10 game against the Carolina Courage the focal point of the season's community service efforts as the Lark and Roger Chastain Celebration Game. As a result, the CyberRays raised more than $43,000 in the Chastain's names to benefit Soccer for Hope, for which the CyberRays led the WUSA in participation with more than 300 youth, the Silicon Valley Children's Hospital Foundation and the Children's Cancer Research Fund. The additional themed games and community activities benefited nearly a dozen community groups such as Girls for a Change. The Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Bay Area Scleroderma Foundation honored the CyberRays with commendations in 2003.

Team Fair Play Award - Philadelphia Charge

Receiving three less yellow cards than any other team during the 2003 season, the Philadelphia Charge won the 2003 WUSA Fair Play Award. The WUSA Fair Play Award goes to the team with the fewest penalty points during the regular season.

The WUSA will announce its final year-end award - the league's Most Valuable Player - on Thursday, August 21. Washington's Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach join Boston's Maren Meinert as finalists for the WUSA Most Valuable Player award.

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