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MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC Nominated for Three 2017 MLS End of Year Awards

November 1, 2017 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


Sounders FC Nominated for Three 2017 MLS End of Year Awards
Sounders FC Nominated for Three 2017 MLS End of Year Awards
(Seattle Sounders FC)

SOUNDERS FC NOMINATED FOR THREE 2017 MLS END OF YEAR AWARDS

Dempsey and Frei up for Comeback Player of the Year and Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively; Sounders FC also among three finalists for Fair Play Award

SEATTLE, WASH. - Major League Soccer today announced the finalists for its 2017 End of Year Awards, with Sounders FC nominated in three major categories. Forward Clint Dempsey and goalkeeper Stefan Frei are among the finalists for MLS Comeback Player of the Year and Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively, while Sounders FC is one of three finalists for the MLS Fair Play Award - Team. The winners of each award are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

MEDIA NOTE: Dempsey is scheduled to talk to media tomorrow, November 1 following the team's training session at Starfire Sports at approximately 11:30 a.m. PT. Frei spoke to media following today's training and that video can be found via the following link: http://sndrs.com/3g4jq. For more information, please contact a member of Sounders FC Communications.

Jane Gershovich / Sounders FC Communications

After being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in August of 2016, sidelining him for Seattle's MLS Cup run and putting his professional future in question, Dempsey returned to action with Sounders FC in 2017 preseason. He went on to lead the Rave Green with 12 goals to go along with five assists in 29 appearances (25 starts) this season, and his 46 goals for Seattle are just one goal shy of the Sounders FC all-time club scoring record held by Fredy Montero. The 34-year-old also returned to international play by recording five goals and four assists in 11 appearances (six starts) for U.S. Men's National Team. Alongside Dempsey, Federico HiguaÃ-n (Columbus Crew SC) and Erick Torres (Houston Dynamo) are also finalists for MLS Comeback Player of the Year.

Frei put together a career-best season in 2017, setting a new club record and leading MLS with 13 shutouts, to go along with a 1.09 goals against average (second among goalkeepers with at least 20 starts). A three-time winner of MLS Save of the Week this year, Frei's stop vs. Vancouver on September 27 was No. 1 on SportsCenter's "Top Plays." His 393-minute shutout streak from July 4-August 20 was the second-longest in MLS this season, and Frei was also one of two goalkeepers named to the MLS All-Star Team that faced Real Madrid this summer. Sporting Kansas City's Tim Melia and the Philadelphia Union's Andre Blake are also finalists for Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

Joseph Maiorana / Sounders FC Communications

Sounders FC sits alongside Toronto FC and the Chicago Fire as finalists for the Fair Play Award - Team. This award is selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.

After a scoreless draw on Sunday with Vancouver in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals, Sounders FC now prepares to host the second leg of play on Thursday, November 2 on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field (7:30 p.m. PT / FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM). Single-match tickets for the November 2 match are available at SoundersFC.com/Playoffs and are also for sale at the CenturyLink Field box office.

With no goals scored in the first leg, the winner of Thursday's match advances to the Western Conference Championship. A scoreless draw after 90 minutes would force extra time, while a draw with any goals scored would result in Whitecaps FC advancing, due to the away goals tiebreaker.

2017 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists

(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)

Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists

Miguel AlmirÃ"n (Atlanta United)

Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC)

Nemanja Nikoli? (Chicago Fire)

Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers)

David Villa (New York City FC)

Defender of the Year Finalists

Justin Morrow (Toronto FC)

Ike Opara (Sporting Kansas City)

Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists

Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)

Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC)

Tim Melia (Sporting Kansas City)

Newcomer of the Year Finalists

For this award, "newcomer" is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2017

Miguel AlmirÃ"n (Atlanta United)

Josef MartÃ-nez (Atlanta United)

Nemanja Nikoli? (Chicago Fire)

AT&T Rookie of the Year Finalists

For this award, "rookie" is defined as a player without previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2017

Abu Danladi (Minnesota United FC)

Jack Elliott (Philadelphia Union)

Julian Gressel (Atlanta United)

Coach of the Year Finalists

Gerardo "Tata" Martino (Atlanta United)

Veljko Paunovi? (Chicago Fire)

Greg Vanney (Toronto FC)

Comeback Player of the Year Finalists

Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2017 regular season

Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC)

Federico HiguaÃ-n (Columbus Crew SC)

Erick Torres (Houston Dynamo)

MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by AdvoCare, Finalists

Ryan Hollingshead (FC Dallas)

Matt Lampson (Chicago Fire)

Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)

MLS Fair Play Finalists - Individual

Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games and minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.

DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo)

Jahmir Hyka (San Jose Earthquakes)

Dave Romney (LA Galaxy)

MLS Fair Play Finalists - Team

Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received, and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.

Chicago Fire

Seattle Sounders FC

Toronto FC

Referee of the Year Finalists

Allen Chapman

Ismail Elfath

Mark Geiger

Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists

Jeremy Hanson

Corey Parker

Adam Wienckowski

Awards Announcement Schedule:

Schedule subject to change

November 2: MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by AdvoCare

November 7: MLS Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year; Fair Play Award - Individual and Team

November 8: AT&T Rookie of the Year

November 9: MLS Defender of the Year

November 14: AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year

November 15: MLS Comeback Player of the Year

November 16: Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year

November 20: Newcomer of the Year

November 27: MLS Coach of the Year

November 28: MLS Best XI

December 4: Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player

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Sounders FC Nominated for Three 2017 MLS End of Year Awards
Sounders FC Nominated for Three 2017 MLS End of Year Awards
   



Major League Soccer Stories from November 1, 2017


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