MLS Fair Play and Referee of the Year Awards Announced
Veteran DaMarcus Beasley wins MLS Fair Play individual award; Allen Chapman named Referee of the Year
NEW YORK
(November 7, 2017)
– Major League Soccer today announced Houston Dynamo defender DaMarcus Beasley and Seattle Sounders FC as the individual and team MLS Fair Play award winners. Additionally, Professional Referee Organization officials Allen Chapman and Corey Parker have been tabbed as Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year respectively.
A two-time MLS All-Star and U.S. Men’s National Team legend, DaMarcus Beasley averaged a league-low .54 fouls per outing after logging 1,985 minutes over the span of 24 regular season games. With starts in all but two of his 2017 regular season appearances, Beasley was unblemished in disciplinary action, not receiving a single yellow card or red card through league play. A consummate leader of Houston’s defensive unit, Beasley committed the fewest fouls of any active player on a Dynamo backline that this season posted the best Western Conference home record.
Jahmir Hyka (San Jose Earthquakes) and Dave Romney (LA Galaxy) were finalists for the award, which is selected based upon subjective evaluations on sportsmanlike behavior, as well as objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games and minutes played to select the winner.
For the first time in the club’s nine-year MLS history, Seattle Sounders FC claimed the MLS Fair Play Award team award, which recognizes the MLS club with the fewest regular season disciplinary points. Disciplinary points are derived by adding the points assigned to fouls committed (3 points per), yellow cards (3 points per), red cards (7 point per) and supplemental points (8 points per each disciplinary action taken). Sounders FC finished the season with 477 disciplinary points (14.45/game), Toronto FC was second (492; 14.91) and the Chicago Fire were third (554; 16.79).
Shining among all officials, PRO referee Allen Chapman was named MLS Referee of the Year, garnering more than 48 percent of the player vote, 54 percent of the club vote, and 40 percent of the media vote. Chapman is a seasoned PRO official with MLS experience dating back to his first match in 2012. He has officiated in the MLS Cup Playoffs from the center and he last year served as the fourth official during MLS Cup.
Earning his second MLS Assistant Referee of the Year honors in three years, Corey Parker received 60 percent of the overall voting tally, including 50 percent of the player vote, 68 percent of the club vote, and 23 percent of the media vote. Parker was the 2015 recipient of the award, and has been on the FIFA panel dating back to that year. He has run the sidelines at key MLS events, including the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup Playoffs, and MLS Cup 2015.
Nominated by U.S. Soccer, Canadian Soccer Association and the MLS Competition Committee, candidates for MLS Referee of the Year and Assistant Referee of the Year Awards were voted on by MLS club management media and MLS players. Below is the breakdown of the voting results for these two awards:
<strong><u>Referee of the Year</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Player Vote</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Club Vote</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Media Vote</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Total Vote</u></strong> |
<div>Allen Chapman</div> |
<div>47.95%</div> |
<div>53.85%</div> |
<div>39.58%</div> |
<div>47.13%</div> |
<div>Ismail Elfath</div> |
<div>32.88%</div> |
<div>26.92%</div> |
<div>36.46%</div> |
<div>32.09%</div> |
<div>Mark Geiger</div> |
<div>19.18%</div> |
<div>19.23%</div> |
<div>23.96%</div> |
<div>20.79%</div> |
<strong><u>Asst. Referee of the Year</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Player Vote</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Club Vote</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Media Vote</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Total Vote</u></strong> |
<div>Corey Parker</div> |
<div>50.00%</div> |
<div>68.00%</div> |
<div>60.92%</div> |
<div>59.64%</div> |
<div>Adam Wienckowski</div> |
<div>22.82%</div> |
<div>20.00%</div> |
<div>22.99%</div> |
<div>21.94%</div> |
<div>Jeremy Hanson</div> |
<div>27.18%</div> |
<div>12.00%</div> |
<div>16.09%</div> |
<div>18.42%</div> |
Fair Play Award - Individual Winners:
2017: DaMarcus Beasley – Houston Dynamo
2016: Keegan Rosenberry – Philadelphia Union
2015: Darlington Nagbe – Portland Timbers
2014: Michael Parkhurst – Columbus Crew SC
2013: Darlington Nagbe – Portland Timbers
2012: Logan Pause – Chicago Fire
2011: Sébastien Le Toux – Philadelphia Union
2010: Sébastien Le Toux – Philadelphia Union
2009: Steve Ralston – New England Revolution
2008: Michael Parkhurst – New England Revolution
2007: Michael Parkhurst – New England Revolution
2006: Chris Klein – Real Salt Lake
2005: Ronald Cerritos – San Jose Earthquakes
2004: Eddie Pope – MetroStars
2003: Brian McBride – Columbus Crew
2002: Mark Chung – Colorado Rapids
2001: Alex Pineda Chacon – Miami Fusion
2000: Steve Ralston – Tampa Bay Mutiny
1999: Steve Ralston – Tampa Bay Mutiny
1998: Thomas Dooley – Columbus Crew
1997: Mark Chung – Kansas City Wizards
Fair Play Award - Team Winners:
2017: Seattle Sounders FC
2016: Columbus Crew SC
2015: Philadelphia Union
2014: Philadelphia Union
2013: LA Galaxy
2012: New England Revolution
2011: Portland Timbers
2010: San Jose Earthquakes
2009: Chicago Fire
2008: New England Revolution
2007: Columbus Crew
2006: Kansas City Wizards
2005: Kansas City Wizards
