Bocanegra, Friedel, Henry among National Hall of Fame ballot new nominees

Alicia Rodriguez

US Soccer revealed the ballot for the 2018 National Hall of Fame class, and the list includes several newcomers with MLS experience.

All told, 26 of the nominees have ties to MLS, with eight of those being first-time nominees: Juan Pablo Angel, Carlos Bocanegra, Bobby Convey, Jay DeMerit, Brad Friedel, Thierry Henry, Stuart Holden and Eddie Johnson.

Eligibility for the National Hall of Fame in the player category is for those who have been retired at least three years but no more than 10 years, and to either play 20 full international games for the US national team (or 10 games for those who played prior to 1990), or played at least five seasons in an American first-division league and to be a postseason all-star selection at least once, or to have played at least five seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League between 1984 and 1992 and been selected a postseason all-star at least once.

Voting for the Hall of Fame class of 2018 will take place between Monday and March 26 among a cross-section of coaches, management in the professional leagues, US Soccer leadership, a select group of media members and all current Hall of Famers.

This year's ceremony to induct those selected to the Hall of Fame will be considerably different than in years past, as the weekend of October 20 will see the grand opening of the new National Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, the induction event, a concert by Imagine Dragons, and the first-ever National Soccer Hall of Fame Game, between FC Dallas and Sporting KC.

Full list of players eligible on the 2018 National Hall of Fame Player Ballot: