After a record-breaking season, the Supporters’ Shield winners are well-represented among the finalists for the 2012 MLS year-end awards. The Quakes have a finalist in five of the annual award categories.
The Quakes posted a league and franchise best record of 19-6-9 for 66 points. Spearheading the attack was Volkswagen Most Valuable Player Finalist Chris Wondolowski, netting a league-best 27 goals and tying Roy Lassiter’s record of goals scored in a single season. Alan Gordon, a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year, was the Quakes second-leading scorer after bagging 13 goals and adding seven assists.
Honduran international and defensive stalwart, Victor Bernardez, is a finalist for both Defender of the Year and Newcomer of the Year after serving as the anchor of the Quakes defense. Bernardez also contributed to the offense with three goals, including a stoppage-time set piece winner against the LA Galaxy in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals. Bernardez was named the Quakes 2012 Defender of the Year.
Frank Yallop looks to add to his 2001 MLS Coach of the Year award after being named a finalist in 2012. Yallop led the Quakes to their second Supporters’ Shield trophy in 2012, building a team that led MLS in scoring with 72 goals, while posting a league record nine stoppage time goals in the regular season. San Jose also led MLS with a plus 29 goal differential.
The finalists for the five awards as well as the schedule for announcement are below:
Defender of the Year Finalists
Victor Bernardez (San Jose Earthquakes)
Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City)
Aurelien Collin (Sporting Kansas City)
Coach of the Year Finalists
Ben Olsen (D.C. United)
Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City)
Frank Yallop (San Jose Earthquakes)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Alan Gordon (San Jose Earthquakes)
Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC)
Chris Pontius (D.C. United)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists
Victor Bernardez (San Jose Earthquakes)
Michael Gspurning (Seattle Sounders FC)
Federico Higuain (Columbus Crew)
Volkswagen Most Valuable Player Finalists
Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)
Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
November 19: MLS Rookie of the Year, Xbox Fair Play Individual & Team of the Year
November 20: MLS Defender of the Year, MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year, and Referee/Assistant Referee of the Year
November 26: 2012 MLS Best XI
November 27: MLSCoach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year
November 28: Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year
November 29: AT&T Goal of the Year, MLS Save of the Year and Volkswagen MLS MVP
