Two defensive leaders of the 1998 Western Conference champion Chicago Fire have been honored for their 1998 season performances, as Zach Thornton has been named Pepsi Goalkeeper of the Year and Lubos Kubik has been named BIC Defender of the Year. The Pepsi Goalkeeper of the Year is given to the player judged by MLS coaching staff and general managers to be the best all-around goalkeeper during the regular season, based on technical skill, statistical ranking and overall leadership. Thornton succeeds former Columbus Crew and current Liverpool netminder Brad Friedel, who won the award last season, and joins Dallas’ Mark Dodd, who won the inaugural honor in 1996, as the three recipients of the award. Thornton set a league record in 1998 with a 1.17 goals against average (in 25 appearances), eclipsing Jorge Campos’ former league low of 1.20, set in 1996 while with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Thornton’s series of stellar performances between the pipes helped him to a 16-8 record in his first season as a starter, after two seasons as Tony Meola’s backup with the MetroStars, during which Thornton saw action in just six MLS games. The BIC Defender of the Year was awarded to Fire defender Lubos Kubik, judged by MLS coaching staffs and general managers to be the league’s best defender during the regular season. Since Major League Soccer has a separate award for goalkeepers, only field players were eligible for the BIC Defender of the Year. Kubik becomes the first international player to win the BIC Defender of the Year award, following last year’s honoree, D.C. United’s Eddie Pope, and the 1996 winner, John Doyle of the San Jose Clash. Kubik, a World Cup 1990 representative for Czechoslovakia, constituted perhaps the most consistent quarter of the Fire’s “Eastern Bloc,” as the staunch central defender organized the league’s second-best defense (allowing 45 goals, one more than the Los Angeles Galaxy) and continually exhibited impressive skill. Kubik often sparked the Fire attack, exhibiting playmaking skill that belies the 6-foot-3, 195-pound defender, who also scored seven goals (he went a perfect four-for-four on penalty kicks) and recorded eight assists for 22 points, the best production by an MLS defender in the league’s three-year history. Kubik finished the season starting and playing every minute in 31 of 32 matches, serving as the captain of the Fire in teammate Peter Nowak’s absence and generally was a coach on the field from his sweeper position. “I’m very excited for Zach and Lubos to be recognized as the best goalkeeper and defender in MLS this season,” said Fire head coach Bob Bradley, who guided the expansion team to a 20-12 regular-season record and four consecutive playoff wins to reach MLS Cup ’98. “Both players have been very important to the Chicago Fire this year. Significantly, these awards represent a team effort and the whole organization is proud of these accomplishments.”