FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution players Kheli Dube, Michael Parkhurst and Matt Reis are finalists for Major League Soccer’s season-ending awards, the league announced on Thursday. Dube is a finalist for Gatorade Rookie of the Year, Parkhurst for the Fair Play Award, and Reis for Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year. There are three finalists in each award category.
The finalists for all MLS awards are the top three vote-getters in each category in voting done by MLS players, general managers, coaches, referees and members of the media. Winners for most of the awards will be announced in the coming weeks, beginning on Tuesday, Nov. 4, with the Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year and Fair Play Awards.
Dube, 25, is joined by fellow rookie finalists Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo) and Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy). Parkhurst, 25, is a Fair Play finalist with Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) and Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire). Reis, 33, is a finalist for goalkeeper of the year with Jon Busch (Chicago Fire) and William Hesmer (Columbus Crew).
Parkhurst is the reigning Fair Play Award winner, having won the award in 2007.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Reis is among the finalists for the goalkeeper of the year award, having also been among the top three in voting in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Dube’s top-three finish among the rookie of the year voting marks the fifth time in the last six seasons that the Revolution have placed a first-year player among the finalists, including Pat Noonan (2003 finalist), Clint Dempsey (2004 winner), Michael Parkhurst (2005 winner) and Adam Cristman (2007 finalist).
The Revolution opens the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs tonight, as the team hosts the rival Chicago Fire at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m., while ESPN2 will begin its national coverage at 7:30 p.m., with a 30-minute pregame show. The game is the first of two in the teams’ Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, which is a two-game, home-and-away, aggregate-goals series. Game Two will be played on Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Fire’s Toyota Park at 8:30 p.m.
2008 MLS Awards Finalists (listed in alphabetical order)
Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists: Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), William Hesmer (Columbus Crew), Matt Reis (New England Revolution)
Fair Play Finalists: Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire)
MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalists: Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Santino Quaranta (D.C. United)
Visa Defender of the Year Finalists: Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Bakary Soumare (Chicago Fire)
adidas Referee of the Year Finalists: Michael Kennedy, Jair Marrufo, Terry Vaughn
Gatorade Rookie of the Year Finalists: Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Kheli Dube (New England Revolution), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy)
MLS Coach of the Year Finalists: Dominic Kinnear (Houston Dynamo), Sigi Schmid (Columbus Crew), Frank Yallop (San Jose Earthquakes)
Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists: Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew)
Newcomer of the Year: Darren Huckerby (San Jose Earthquakes), Claudio Lopez (Kansas City Wizards), Andre Rocha (FC Dallas)
Schedule of Awards Announcements:
Tuesday, November 4
Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year
Fair Play Award Individual & Team
Thursday, November 6
Visa Defender of the Year
adidas Referee of the Year
Friday, November 7
US Soccer Foundation & MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year
Tuesday, November 11
MLS Newcomer of the Year
MLS Coach of the Year
Thursday, November 13
Gatorade Rookie of the Year
Wednesday, November 19
Sierra Mist Goal of the Year
Thursday, November 20
Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player
Saturday, November 22
MLS Best XI
MLS Comeback Player of the Year
The finalists for all MLS awards are the top three vote-getters in each category in voting done by MLS players, general managers, coaches, referees and members of the media. Winners for most of the awards will be announced in the coming weeks, beginning on Tuesday, Nov. 4, with the Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year and Fair Play Awards.
Dube, 25, is joined by fellow rookie finalists Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo) and Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy). Parkhurst, 25, is a Fair Play finalist with Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) and Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire). Reis, 33, is a finalist for goalkeeper of the year with Jon Busch (Chicago Fire) and William Hesmer (Columbus Crew).
Parkhurst is the reigning Fair Play Award winner, having won the award in 2007.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Reis is among the finalists for the goalkeeper of the year award, having also been among the top three in voting in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Dube’s top-three finish among the rookie of the year voting marks the fifth time in the last six seasons that the Revolution have placed a first-year player among the finalists, including Pat Noonan (2003 finalist), Clint Dempsey (2004 winner), Michael Parkhurst (2005 winner) and Adam Cristman (2007 finalist).
The Revolution opens the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs tonight, as the team hosts the rival Chicago Fire at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m., while ESPN2 will begin its national coverage at 7:30 p.m., with a 30-minute pregame show. The game is the first of two in the teams’ Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, which is a two-game, home-and-away, aggregate-goals series. Game Two will be played on Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Fire’s Toyota Park at 8:30 p.m.
2008 MLS Awards Finalists (listed in alphabetical order)
Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists: Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), William Hesmer (Columbus Crew), Matt Reis (New England Revolution)
Fair Play Finalists: Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire)
MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalists: Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Santino Quaranta (D.C. United)
Visa Defender of the Year Finalists: Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Bakary Soumare (Chicago Fire)
adidas Referee of the Year Finalists: Michael Kennedy, Jair Marrufo, Terry Vaughn
Gatorade Rookie of the Year Finalists: Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Kheli Dube (New England Revolution), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy)
MLS Coach of the Year Finalists: Dominic Kinnear (Houston Dynamo), Sigi Schmid (Columbus Crew), Frank Yallop (San Jose Earthquakes)
Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists: Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew)
Newcomer of the Year: Darren Huckerby (San Jose Earthquakes), Claudio Lopez (Kansas City Wizards), Andre Rocha (FC Dallas)
Schedule of Awards Announcements:
Tuesday, November 4
Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year
Fair Play Award Individual & Team
Thursday, November 6
Visa Defender of the Year
adidas Referee of the Year
Friday, November 7
US Soccer Foundation & MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year
Tuesday, November 11
MLS Newcomer of the Year
MLS Coach of the Year
Thursday, November 13
Gatorade Rookie of the Year
Wednesday, November 19
Sierra Mist Goal of the Year
Thursday, November 20
Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player
Saturday, November 22
MLS Best XI
MLS Comeback Player of the Year
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