Joy Fawcett, the pivotal player at the back for the San Diego Spirit, was announced Wednesday as the WUSA's Defensive Player of the Year and as an All-WUSA defender for the first time.
Kristine Lilly became the first player selected to three All-WUSA first teams as regular-season champion Boston was honored with six all-league selections.
Also announced Wednesday was Breakers general manager Joe Cummings as the repeat Executive of the Year and team awards to Philadelphia for fair play and San Jose for community service.
The WUSA MVP award will be announced on Thursday. Boston forward Maren Meinert and Washington stars Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach are the finalists.
Lilly and Meinert were joined on the All-WUSA first team by teammate Dagny Mellgren. Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, defender Kate Sobrero and midfielder Angela Hucles were chosen for the second team.
Breakers coach Pia Sundhage was voted Coach of the Year, an award announced Friday.
WUSA finalists Atlanta and Washington, which meet in Sunday's Founders Cup III championship in San Diego, each had three first-team All-WUSA players.
Atlanta goalkeeper Briana Scurry, defender Sharolta Nonen and midfielder Homare Sawa were selected to the first team, and Beat defender Kylie Bivens and Charmaine Hooper were second-teamers. Hamm, Wambach and defender Jen Grubb represented Washington on the first team.
The only team without an all-league performer was last-place Philadelphia, which struggled all season with injuries but had two strong candidates in midfielder Stacey Tullock and forward Marinette Pichon.
Sawa was a first-team selection for the second successive year, and Meinert also was named to the first team for the second time. She was a first-team choice in 2001 and a second-team selection last year. Hamm was on the top squad after two seasons as a second-team all-leaguer.
Second-teamers Brandi Chastain of San Jose and Julie Foudy of Washington have been selected to an all-league team all three seasons, and Wambach has been honored both of her seasons.
San Diego midfielder Aly Wagner, a second-team choice, was the only rookie on an all-league team.
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)
Wednesday's award winners
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)
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)
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
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
Award winners announced Tuesday:
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)
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)
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)
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)
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
Previously announced statistical-based awards:
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