COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Crew announced the winners of its team awards last night at its annual Crew Team Awards Ceremony, presented by adidas, held at the Arena Grand Theatre.
The winners are as follows: Honda Most Valuable Player, Marcos Gonzalez; Defender of the Year, Marcos Gonzalez; Budweiser Golden Boot, Jason Garey and Joseph Ngwenya; Huntington Man of the Year, Ritchie Kotschau; Coaches Award, Ezra Hendrickson; Newcomer of the Year, Jason Garey; Sierra Mist Goal of the Year, Joseph Ngwenya; OhioHealth Comeback Player of the Year, Duncan Oughton; U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year, Jed Zayner; Crew Soccer Foundation Crew Chiefs Hardest Working Man of the Year, Jacob Thomas; and Crew Fan of the Year, Kelly Brooks. Below is a summary of each winner.
MARCOS GONZALEZ - Crew Honda Most Valuable Player
In recognition of his outstanding play this season, American Honda Motor Company and your local Honda dealers are pleased to present the 2006 Crew Honda Most Valuable Player Award to Marcos Gonzalez, the player who most exemplifies reliability, dependability and exceptional performance; qualities held in high esteem by American Honda.
Gonzalez signed with The Crew in January and was a rock in the center of defense, appearing in 21 games and starting 20. In his first year in MLS, the Chile native helped The Crew defense hold opponents to 42 goals allowed, just seven goals off the league lead, and seven shutouts.
MARCOS GONZALEZ - Crew Defender of the Year
The Crew is proud to present its 2006 Defender of the Year award to Marcos Gonzalez. The 26-year-old Gonzalez often drew the assignment of marking the opposing teams top forward. The Chilean was equally adept at defending on the ground or in the air and appeared in 21 games for the Black & Gold, starting 20. The 6-2 center back helped the Columbus defense post seven shutouts and allow just 42 goals.
JASON GAREY AND JOSEPH NGWENYA - Crew Budweiser Golden Boot
Budweiser is proud to present the 2006 Budweiser Golden Boot Award to the player who, over the course of the regular season, scored the most goals for his team. Ending the year tied for the team lead in goals was rookie forward Jason Garey and third-year forward Joseph Ngwenya. The duo each tallied five goals on the year and added two assits. Three of Garey's five goals were game-winning goals, while Ngwenya had one game-winning goal. The five goals scored by Ngwenya are a career high. Garey appeared in 25 games, starting 18, and Ngwenya played in 20, starting 17.
RITCHIE KOTSCHAU - Huntington Man of the Year
Huntington is proud to present the 2006 Huntington Man of the Year award to Ritchie Kotschau. 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. Kotschau, in his first season with The Crew, appeared in 26 games, starting 23. The nine-year MLS veteran wore the captain's arm-band 17 times for The Black & Gold this season and tallied one goal and two assists. His one goal was a game-winner. For his career, Kotschau has appeared in 224 games, starting 202. His 224 games played ranks 22nd all-time in MLS history. Kotschau and his wife, Meredith, had their first child, Reagan, on March 19, 2005.
EZRA HENDRICKSON - Crew Coaches Award
The Crew is proud to present its 2006 Coaches Award to Ezra Hendrickson. Selected by the Crew coaching staff, the award is presented to the player they considered to be the most coachable and to possess all of the characteristics of a true team player, including attitude and work ethic. The 10-year MLS veteran was acquired by The Crew on April 28 and appeared in 24 matches, starting 20. The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines native tallied one goal and two assists on the year and was an influential veteran presence on and off the field. He had one game-winning assist on the year. For his career, Hendrickson has played in 230 matches, which ranks tied for 17th all-time in MLS history.
JASON GAREY - Crew Newcomer of the Year
The Crew is proud to present its Newcomer of the Year award to forward Jason Garey. The rookie forward out of the University of Maryland ended the year tied for the team lead in goals scored with five. Three of his tallies were game-winning goals. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, Garey also added two assists on the year. Despite battling nagging injuries throughout the season, Garey appeared in 25 games during his rookie campaign, starting 28. The Louisiana native came on strong at the end of the year, notching goals in three in the last four games.
JOSEPH NGWENYA - Crew Sierra Mist Goal of the Year
Sierra Mist is proud to present its Crew Goal of the Year award to Joseph Ngwenya. A moment of brilliance from Ngwenya propelled The Crew past the New York Red Bulls 1-0 at Crew Stadium on August 19. In the 82nd-minute and the game scoreless, three Crew defenders pried the ball away from Youri Djorkaeff in the Crew penalty box. Chris Leitch chased down the ball and quickly flighted it down the right flank for Ngwenya to run onto just past midfield. After dribbling about 40 yards to the edge of the penalty box, Ngwenya toyed with Carlos Mendes by beating him with pace and then cutting back inside him. The third-year striker then shot low between Mendes' legs, slotting the ball inside the near post past Tony Meola to bring great joy to the Crew faithful.
DUNCAN OUGHTON - OhioHealth Comeback Player of the Year
OhioHealth is proud to present its Comeback Player of the Year award to midfielder Duncan Oughton. In The Crew's 1-0 win over New York on 8/19/06, midfielder Duncan Oughton played in his first MLS game since Oct. 31, 2004. Not only was it his first action in just under two years, but Crew coach Sigi Schmid bestowed the captain's armband on him. Oughton, a six-year Crew veteran, hadn't played for Columbus since injuring his right knee in The Crew's final playoff game vs. New England on Oct. 31, 2004. He had initial surgery in early November of 2004 but re-injured the right knee prior to the start of the 2005 season while continuing to rehabilitate from his injury. The New Zealand native underwent successful cartilage transplant surgery on his right knee on June 3, 2005 and missed the entire 2005 season. Since his return on 8/19 he has started all nine matches The Crew has played and worn the captain's armband in every game. He has also tallied two assists in his eight games, including one game-winner.
JED ZAYNER - Crew U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
The U.S. Soccer Foundation is proud to present its Crew Humanitarian of the Year Award to defender Jed Zayner. Zayner has been a visible community ambassador for the Crew and MLS in his first professional season, giving freely of his time to make public appearances and lending his name and image to support worthy causes. Following a stellar three-year collegiate career at perennial national power Indiana University, he was selected by The Crew in the second round, No. 13 overall, of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. Unfortunately, a season-ending knee injury suffered on April 4 derailed his rookie campaign before it even began, but he made his mark off the field with a commitment to community service. In addition to being one of the club's most positive and reliable representatives, Zayner has volunteered to serve as a celebrity spokesperson for Lacelet, a shoe accessory that raises awareness and funds for juvenile diabetes (http://www.lacelet.com). His active presence in his new community has also seen him visit periodically with pediatric hospital patients and work with area young people through a host of soccer camp, clinic and club coaching. The U.S. Soccer Foundation is MLS's charity of choice.
JACOB THOMAS - Crew Soccer Foundation 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 have selected, in consultation with the Crew front office and coaching staff, midfielder Jacob Thomas. The first-year MLS midfielder has exemplified everything that the award's name implies, playing gritty, hard-nosed minutes while doing non-stop work as a wide midfielder. After joining The Crew just prior to the start of the 2006 season, Thomas appeared in 19 games for The Black & Gold, starting 13. The Texas native who had played the past eight seasons in Germany tallied one goal and two assists on they year. His one goal was a game-winner.
KELLY BROOKS - Crew Fan of the Year
An integral part of the Crew organization since the inaugural 1996 season, Kelly Brooks has been selected as the 2006 Columbus Crew Fan of the Year. For 11 years The Crew volunteer has not only cheered The Crew on the field, but run and organized The Crewzers, The Crew's professional dance team. She has been a consistent, visible and outspoken voice in the community on the club's behalf. Kelly Brooks, the 2006 Columbus Crew Fan of the Year.
