The Houston Dash announced their 2014 team awards at the conclusion of online fan voting at HoustonDashSoccer.com. Award winners were chosen through voting by Dash fans, coaching staff and front office.
Goalkeeper Erin McLeod was named Most Valuable Player and voted Players’ Player of the Year for the 2014 season. McLeod, who was named team captain prior to the start of the season, started 19 games for the Dash. The St. Albert, Alberta, native finished the regular season second in the NWSL with 83 saves. The Canadian international also kept two clean sheets in the Dash’s inaugural season.
Forward Kealia Ohai took home Newcomer of the Year and Young Player of the Year after her rookie season. Ohai made appearances in all but one match, starting 21 times and leading the team in shots (46) and shots on goal (22). Ohai also shared the Golden Boot Award for most goals with Tiffany McCarty and Nina Burger. All three finished with four goals and one assist.
Stephanie Ochs earned Defender of the Year honors after making a switch to the back line at the beginning of the year. Ochs started three games at forward before moving to outside back, where she made 18 appearances the rest of the year. The University of San Diego product was the only player to appear in every match and was also the team’s corner kick specialist, providing two assists from dead ball situations.
Midfielder Becky Edwards claimed Ironwoman of the Year honors after leading all players in regular season minutes. Edwards played 2,070 of a possible 2,160 minutes in the regular season. She played the full 90 minutes of every game except for the rescheduled match against Sky Blue FC on Aug. 20, which she missed while beginning her loan stint with Kristianstads DFF.
The full list of Dash Awards winners:
Most Valuable Player: Erin McLeod
Player’s Player of the Year: Erin McLeod
Defender of the Year: Stephanie Ochs
Newcomer of the Year: Kealia Ohai
Young Player of the Year: Kealia Ohai (U-23)
Golden Boot: Nina Burger, Tiffany McCarty, Kealia Ohai (most regular season goals)
Humanitarian of the Year: Brittany Bock
Ironwoman of the Year: Becky Edwards (most regular season minutes by a field player)
Play of the Year: Ella Masar’s goal vs. Chicago Red Stars on May 23 (First Dash goal at home)
Game of the Year: June 11, Dash 2, Western New York Flash 1 (First home win)
