German striker Maren Meinert, who closed her playing career by leading the Boston Breakers to the WUSA regular-season title and their first playoff berth, has been honored as the league's Most Valuable Player, it was announced Thursday.
Meinert, who scored nine goals with 10 assists, was the Breakers' fulcrum, leading them to a 10-4-7 record and on an 11-game unbeaten streak to close their season.
Meinert, who announced her retirement earlier this season, also was selected the MVP of the June 19 All-Star Game in Cary, N.C. She also was an All-WUSA first-team selection this season and in 2001 and a second-team selection in 2002.
The former German national team star played in the 1995 and 1999 World Cups and won a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. She retired from the German squad following its home triumph at the 2001 European Championship.
Meinert outpolled finalists Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach of Washington, the league scoring co-champions who lead the Freedom against Atlanta in Sunday's Founders Cup III championship game in San Diego. Coaches, general managers, players and media voted on the award.
All award-winners will be honored at the league's awards dinner Friday night at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
Previous MVPs were New York's Tiffeny Milbrett in 2001 and Philadelphia's Marinette Pichon in 2002.
Awards announced Thursday:
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
German forward Maren Meinert, 30, was the pivotal figure as Boston reached the playoffs for the first time and posted the best record in the league. She scored 28 points, finishing sixth in the league scoring race, but her importance to the Breakers went far beyond her numbers. She was the Breakers' leader, their technical and tactical wizard, their most expert passer and much of what career WUSA goalscoring leader Dagny Mellgren has accomplished can be credited to Meinert's play up front or in midfield. Meinert retired following the Breakers' penalty-kick defeat to Washington in last weekend's semifinals.
Previous winners
2001 — Tiffeny Milbrett (New York)
2002 — Marinette Pichon (Philadelphia)
Previously announced awards:
COACH OF THE YEAR
Pia Sundhage, 43, who orchestrated Philadelphia's league-best defense last season as Mark Krikorian's chief assistant, guided Boston to a 10-4-7 record, the regular-season title and an 11-game unbeaten streak, which continued during elimination last weekend in the WUSA semifinals (to Washington on penalty kicks following a 0-0 tie). Sundhage brought superior defensive organization to a solid attacking side and turned a horrid road team (1-8-2 in 2002) into one of the league best away teams (5-2-3 this season).
Previous winners
2001 — Ian Sawyers (Bay Area)
2002 — Mark Krikorian (Philadelphia)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Spirit forward Christine Latham, 21, came on strong the latter half of the season, scoring six goals with three assists and forming with Scotswoman Julie Fleeting one of the most aggressive forward lines in the WUSA. The former University of Nebraska striker, headed to the World Cup with Canada, scored four goals in one six-game stretch during July and had a goal and an assist in San Diego's season-closing win over Washington to clinch third place. Latham's impact for the Spirit isn't captured her totals; hers was the greatest among three rookies (midfielder Aly Wagner and goalkeeper Jenni Branam) who played prominent roles in San Diego's most successful season.
Previous winners
2001 — No award
2002 — Abby Wambach (Washington)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
San Diego posted the second-best defensive record despite using a three-woman backline, considered by many suicide in the attack-happy WUSA. Center back Joy Fawcett, 35, arguably the finest defender in the women's game, enabled San Diego to prosper in a risky scheme, reaching the postseason for the first time.
Previous winners
2001 — Doris Fitschen (Philadelphia)
2002 — Danielle Slaton (Carolina)
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Briana Scurry, 31, was clearly the best netminder in the WUSA this season, leading the league in goals-against average (0.95), shutouts (7) and save percentage (79.5) as Atlanta set a record for fewest goals allowed in one season (19). The owns career records in GAA (1.03), winning percentage (.600) and shutouts (20). The 1999 World Cup star, acknowledged then as the best goalkeeper in the women's game, has played the best soccer of her career in the past year, reclaiming the No. 1 spot on the U.S. women's national team.
Previous winners
2001 — LaKeysia Beene (Bay Area)
2002 — Kristin Luckenbill (Carolina)
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Boston general manager Joe Cummings, 53, captured the award for the second successive year after the Breakers, who had missed the playoffs the first two seasons, won the regular-season title under first-year coach Pia Sundhage, drawing a respectable 6,931 fans per game. Cummings also worked with the New York Power after its general manager, Susan Marenoff, was dismissed.
Previous winners
2001 — No award
2002 — Joe Cummings (Boston)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
Terry Vaughn, 30, was judged the most consistently strong referee in a season marked by uneven officiating. The Marion, Iowa, resident will be in the middle for Sunday's Founders Cup in San Diego.
Previous winners
2001 — Sandra Hunt
2002 –Kari Seitz
HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR
Philadelphia left back Jenny Benson, 25, is cited for her involvement in community activities, most notably through her work with the Gia Nicole Angel Fund named for 12-year-old Gia Gaudet, who has spina bifida, a spinal column defect.
Previous winners
2001 — Kate Sobrero (Boston)
2002 — Sissi (San Jose)
TEAM COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
The San Jose CyberRays were honored after turning the unexpected deaths of Brandi Chastain's parents, Lark and Roger, into a celebration of their lives, raising $43,000 to benefit Soccer for Hope. A series of themed home games also raised funds for nearly a dozen community groups.
Previous winners
2001 — Washington Freedom
2002 — Boston Breakers
SCORING CHAMPION
Washington Freedom teammates Mia Hamm, 30, and Abby Wambach, 23, shared the title with 33 points apiece. Hamm finished with 11 goals and 11 assists; Wambach scored 13 goals with seven assists.
Previous scoring champions
2001 — Tiffeny Milbrett (New York), 35 points
2002 — Katia (San Jose), 36 points
GOLDEN BOOT
Boston's Norwegian forward Dagny Mellgren, 25, and French forward Marinette Pichon, 27, of Philadelphia were the WUSA's leading goalscorers, with 14.
Previous goalscoring leaders
2001 — Tiffeny Milbrett (New York), 16
2002 — Katia (San Jose), 15
PLAYMAKER OF THE YEAR
Washington midfielder-forward Mia Hamm, 30, led the league in assists, with 11.
Previous assist leaders
2001 — Kristine Lilly (Boston), 12
2002 — Maren Meinert (Boston), 16
GOAL OF THE YEAR
Forward Abby Wambach, 23, is honored for her 80th-minute goal — her second of the game — in Washington's 2-0 victory July 19 over visiting New York. It was a diving header at the edge of the 6 from Mia Hamm's dipping free kick outside the box.
Previous winners
2001 — No award
2002 — Katia (San Jose)
TEAM FAIR PLAY AWARD
The Philadelphia Charge was awarded for accumulating the fewest penalty points, based on yellow and red cards.
Previous winners
2001 — New York Power
2002 — Boston Breakers
ALL-STAR MVP
Boston's Maren Meinert, 30, was selected after scoring two goals and adding an assist in the World Stars' 3-2 win June 19 in Cary, N.C.
Previous winners
2001 — No game
2002 — Abby Wambach (Washington)
ALL-WUSA TEAM
First team
Goalkeeper —Briana Scurry (Atlanta)
Defender — Joy Fawcett (San Diego)
Defender — Jen Grubb (Washington)
Defender — Sharolta Nonen (Atlanta)
Midfielder — Shannon Boxx (New York)
Midfielder — Mia Hamm (Washington)
Midfielder — Kristine Lilly (Boston)
Midfielder — Homare Sawa (Atlanta)
Forward — Maren Meinert (Boston)
Forward — Dagny Mellgren (Boston)
Forward — Abby Wambach (Washington)
Second team
Goalkeeper — Karina LeBlanc (Boston)
Defender — Kylie Bivens (Atlanta)
Defender — Brandi Chastain (San Jose)
Defender — Kate Sobrero (Boston)
Midfielder — Julie Foudy (San Diego)
Midfielder — Angela Hucles (Boston)
Midfielder — Tiffany Roberts (Carolina)
Midfielder — Aly Wagner (San Diego)
Forward — Julie Fleeting (San Diego)
Forward — Charmaine Hooper (Atlanta)
Forward — Birgit Prinz (Carolina)
Awards yet to be announced:
FOUNDERS CUP MVP
Will be selected following Sunday's Founders Cup III championship between Atlanta and Washington in San Diego.
Previous winners
2001 — Julie Murray (Bay Area)
2002 — Birgit Prinz (Carolina)