Columbus, Ohio (November 19, 2018) — Columbus Crew SC recognized five players for their exploits on the field during the 2018 season on Monday. The club handed out five awards: Most Valuable Player, Defender of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year, Kirk Urso Heart Award, and Academy Player of the Year.
Gyasi Zardes topped the list in earning team MVP honors after a standout campaign that saw him set a career-high in goals scored. It comes after the 27-year-old striker won the MLS Comeback Player of the Year award earlier in the month.
Columbus Crew SC Announces Team Award Winners for 2018 Season
Gyasi Zardes – Most Valuable Player
Crew SC manager Gregg Berhalter certainly has a reputation for getting the most out of his center forward. Zardes was the latest example with his 19 goals during the 2018 regular season leading MLS among American players. It also ranks as the third-highest goal-scoring haul in club history behind Stern John (26 goals, 1998) and Kei Kamara (22 goals, 2015).
Zardes capped off the regular season in style when he registered his first career hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Minnesota United. In addition to scoring the most goals in a season during his career, he also logged a career-high 3,248 minutes when including both regular season and playoffs. He made MLS Team of the Week four times and earned Player of the Week honors on two separate occasions.
Jonathan Mensah – Defender of the Year
Mensah joined Columbus ahead of the 2017 season as a designated player. His signing with the club was an aggressive move aimed at shoring up a defense which dealt with myriad issues conceding goals during Berhalter’s tenure up to that point. But the Ghanaian World Cup veteran struggled early on with many observers quick to label him a D.P. bust. Still, he persevered, adjusted to the nuances of defending in MLS, and played a significant part in Crew SC’s run to the Eastern Conference finals last year.
He built upon that momentum in 2018. Eight of Crew SC’s 10 shutouts this year came in matches he started. The 28-year-old center back proved immensely reliable in the air along with clearing balls from danger. His 3.1 aerials won per 90 and 4.4 clearances per 90 both led all Crew SC players who logged at least 2,000 minutes. For his efforts, he made the MLS Team of the Week twice this season.
Wil Trapp – OhioHealth Humanitarian of the Year
In his second year as team captain, Trapp certainly excelled on the pitch. It showed in him receiving regular call-ups to the USMNT where he reprised his role as captain. But Trapp also made a noticeable off-field impact with his work in the Columbus community. It included working with Habitat for Humanity in helping to build houses for families in need. The Gahanna, OH native was also active with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. All of it led to Trapp getting nominated for MLS Humanitarian of the Year, an award eventually won by former Crew SC goalkeeper Matt Lampson.
Connor Maloney – Kirk Urso Heart Award
This award, named for Kirk Urso who tragically passed away due to a heart issue in 2012, goes to a player who best exemplifies the qualities of a good teammate. Maloney is the sixth player to win the award which is voted on by his fellow Crew SC players. Taken in the third round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, the former Penn State Nittany Lion made two appearances in 2018, both of which were starts. A converted fullback after playing forward in college, Maloney registered one assist this season.
Keegan Hughes – Academy Player of the Year
Trapp is obviously the benchmark when it comes to players who’ve progressed from the Crew SC academy and made an impact in MLS. Hughes is the most promising player to that end this year. He appeared in 26 games for the Black and Gold’s U-18/19 academy team, making 23 starts and scoring five goals as a defender. He played a prominent role in the team finishing third in the U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy Playoffs. The 18-year-old has made 80 appearances for the Crew SC academy since 2015 and is set to play collegiately at Stanford University.
