Houston Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis has been named a finalist for two of Major League Soccer’s top honors: Most Valuable Player and MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year. MLS award winners will be announced between now and the 2011 MLS Cup final, to be held on November 20 between the Eastern Conference champion Dynamo and the Western Conference champion LA Galaxy.
Other finalists for the league’s Most Valuable Player award are Dwayne De Rosario of D.C. United and Brek Shea of FC Dallas. Additional finalists for the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year award are Zak Boggs of the New England Revolution and Chris Wondolowski of the San Jose Earthquakes.
A four-time MLS All-Star, Davis led the league with 16 assists during the 2011 regular season and added two more in the Eastern Conference semifinals (although voting was conducted before the playoffs began). Davis started every match, scored four goals, and led the league with 121 offensive chances created, 52 ahead of the closest competitor. At no point during the regular season did Davis go three games without notching a goal or an assist, and he was named to MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Week seven times, tied for the highest total in the league. He left Sunday’s Eastern Conference championship game against Kansas City in the first half after suffering a right quad injury, but the Dynamo went on to win their third conference title.
Off the field, Davis, who turns 30 tomorrow, was just as impressive. Already honored as a member of All-Stars Helping Kids’ Dream Team for Public Service, Davis continued to invite military members and their families to each home game as part of his Brad’s Brigade initiative. The Dynamo’s Military Appreciation Night, spearheaded by Davis, distributed more than 1,500 tickets to local military families and raised money for the Lone Survivor Foundation. Davis has also continued his involvement in the Houston community, visiting children’s hospitals, veterans’ hospitals, and military bases.
MORE: Dynamo MLS award nominees
The winner of the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year award will be announced on Wednesday, while the league MVP will be announced on Friday, November 18, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., in conjunction with the MLS Cup final. No Dynamo player has won either award in the team’s six-year history. De Rosario was a finalist for the MVP award as a member of the Dynamo in 2006.
2011 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Rookie of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 8
Michael Farfan (Philadelphia Union)
Perry Kitchen (D.C. United)
C.J. Sapong (Sporting Kansas City)
XBox 360 Individual Fair Play Finalists* – Winner to be announced Nov. 8
Darrius Barnes (New England Revolution)
Kosuke Kimura (Colorado Rapids)
Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)
Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games & minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
XBox 360 Team Fair Play Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 8
Chivas USA
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
*Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received, and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
Visa Defender of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 9
Nat Borchers (Real Salt Lake)
Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy)
Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake)
MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 9
Zak Boggs (New England Revolution)
Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo)
Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
Referee of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 9
Mark Geiger
Ricardo Salazar
Kevin Stott
Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 9
Sean Hurd
Corey Rockwell
Adam Wienckowski
Coach of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 14
Bruce Arena (LA Galaxy)
Sigi Schmid (Seattle Sounders FC)
Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 14
David Beckham (LA Galaxy)
Charlie Davies (D.C. United)
Dominic Oduro (Chicago Fire)
Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 15
Kevin Hartman (FC Dallas)
Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC)
Faryd Mondragon (Philadelphia Union)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 15
Eric Hassli (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
Luke Rodgers (New York Red Bulls)
Mauro Rosales (Seattle Sounders FC)
Volkswagen Most Valuable Player Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov. 18
Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo)
Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United)
Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
Awards Announcements Schedule:
November 8: MLS Rookie of the Year, Xbox Fair Play Individual & Team of the Year
November 9: Defender of the Year, MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year, and Referee/Assistant Referee of the Year
November 10: 2011 MLS Best XI
November 14: MLS Coach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year
November 15: Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year
November 16: AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year
November 18: Volkswagen MVP and Commissioner’s Award
