The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) presents six annual awards to individual players. The Golden Boot award is presented to the top scorer at the end of the regular season, while the Most Valuable Player, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year awards are voted on by various league constituents. As of 2021,[update] these awards are voted upon in two rounds: in the first round, players (50%), owners/general managers/coaches (25%), and media (25%) vote to determine the nominees; in the second round, players (50%), owners/general managers/coaches (20%), media (20%), and fans (10%) vote among the nominees to determine the winners.[1]
In addition, the league also presents two teams of the season awards, the NWSL Best XI and the NWSL Second XI, to individual players. As of 2021,[update] the teams of the season awards are voted on by players (50%), owners/general managers/coaches (20%), media (20%), and fans (10%).[2] Voters for the teams of the season awards are required to name one goalkeeper, four defenders, and a combination of six midfielders and forwards.
Season | Player | Club | Goals | Games | Rate | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Lauren Holiday | FC Kansas City | 12 | 18 | 0.67 | [13] |
2014 | Kim Little | Seattle Reign FC | 16 | 23 | 0.70 | [14] |
2015 | Crystal Dunn | Washington Spirit | 15 | 20 | 0.75 | [15] |
2016 | Lynn Williams[b] | Western New York Flash | 11 | 19 | 0.58 | [16] |
2017 | Sam Kerr | Sky Blue FC | 17 | 22 | 0.77 | [17] |
2018 | Sam Kerr (2) | Chicago Red Stars | 16 | 19 | 0.84 | [18] |
2019 | Sam Kerr (3) | Chicago Red Stars | 18 | 21 | 0.86 | [19] |
2021 | Ashley Hatch | Washington Spirit | 10 | 20 | 0.50 | [20] |
2022 | Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave FC | 15 | 17 | 0.88 | [21] |
2023 | Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC | 11 | 17 | 0.65 | [22] |
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Nicole Barnhart | FC Kansas City | 10 shutouts |
Defender | Christie Rampone | Sky Blue FC | 1.20 GAA |
Defender | Leigh Ann Robinson | FC Kansas City | 5 assists |
Defender | Becky Sauerbrunn | FC Kansas City | 1.00 GAA |
Defender | Brittany Taylor | Western New York Flash | 3 goals, 4 assists |
Midfielder | Lori Chalupny | Chicago Red Stars | 5 goals, 4 assists |
Midfielder | Jess Fishlock | Seattle Reign FC | 4 goals |
Midfielder | Lauren Holiday | FC Kansas City | 12 goals, 9 assists |
Midfielder | Diana Matheson | Washington Spirit | 8 goals, 3 assists |
Forward | Sydney Leroux | Boston Breakers | 11 goals, 2 assists |
Forward | Abby Wambach | Western New York Flash | 11 goals, 8 assists |
Second XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Adrianna Franch | Western New York Flash |
Defender | Rachel Buehler | Portland Thorns |
Defender | Caitlin Foord | Sky Blue FC |
Defender | Ali Krieger | Washington Spirit |
Defender | Lauren Sesselmann | FC Kansas City |
Midfielder | Megan Rapinoe | Seattle Reign FC |
Midfielder | Desiree Scott | FC Kansas City |
Midfielder | Erika Tymrak | FC Kansas City |
Forward | Alex Morgan | Portland Thorns |
Forward | Lianne Sanderson | Boston Breakers |
Forward | Christine Sinclair | Portland Thorns |
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Alyssa Naeher | Boston Breakers | 106 saves |
Defender | Kendall Fletcher | Seattle Reign FC | .83 team GAA |
Defender | Ali Krieger | Washington Spirit | 1 goal |
Defender | Christie Rampone | Sky Blue FC | 1 goal, 2 assists |
Defender | Becky Sauerbrunn | FC Kansas City | 8 shutouts |
Midfielder | Verónica Boquete | Portland Thorns FC | 4 goals, 6 assists |
Midfielder | Jess Fishlock | Seattle Reign FC | 4 goals, 8 assists |
Midfielder | Kim Little | Seattle Reign FC | 16 goals, 7 assists |
Forward | Lauren Holiday | FC Kansas City | 8 goals, 7 assists |
Forward | Nahomi Kawasumi | Seattle Reign FC | 9 goals, 5 assists |
Forward | Amy Rodriguez | FC Kansas City | 13 goals, 3 assists |
Second XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Hope Solo | Seattle Reign FC | 5 shutouts |
Defender | Lauren Barnes | Seattle Reign FC | .83 team GAA |
Defender | Stephanie Catley | Portland Thorns FC | 5 assists |
Defender | Stephanie Cox | Seattle Reign FC | .83 team GAA |
Defender | Julie Johnston | Chicago Red Stars | Rookie of the Year |
Midfielder | Carli Lloyd | Western New York Flash | 8 goals, 5 assists |
Midfielder | Allie Long | Portland Thorns FC | 9 goals, 3 assists |
Midfielder | Heather O'Reilly | Boston Breakers | 9 goals, 5 assists |
Forward | Christen Press | Chicago Red Stars | 6 goals |
Forward | Jessica McDonald | Portland Thorns FC | 11 goals, 1 assist |
Forward | Jodie Taylor | Washington Spirit | 11 goals, 2 assists |
Announced September 24, 2015[61]
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Michelle Betos | Portland Thorns FC | 45 saves |
Defender | Lauren Barnes | Seattle Reign FC | 1,800 minutes |
Defender | Julie Johnston | Chicago Red Stars | 1.10 team GAA |
Defender | Amy LePeilbet | FC Kansas City | 1,800 minutes |
Defender | Becky Sauerbrunn | FC Kansas City | 1.00 GAA |
Midfielder | Jess Fishlock | Seattle Reign FC | 8 goals, 2 assists |
Midfielder | Kim Little | Seattle Reign FC | 10 goals, 7 assists |
Midfielder | Allie Long | Portland Thorns FC | 10 goals, 4 assists |
Forward | Crystal Dunn | Washington Spirit | 15 goals, 3 assists |
Forward | Christen Press | Chicago Red Stars | 10 goals, 2 assists |
Forward | Beverly Yanez | Seattle Reign FC | 9 goals |
Second XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Nicole Barnhart | FC Kansas City | 8 shutouts |
Defender | Stephanie Cox | Seattle Reign FC | 1,800 minutes |
Defender | Kendall Fletcher | Seattle Reign FC | 2 goals, 2 assists |
Defender | Arin Gilliland | Chicago Red Stars | 1.10 team GAA |
Defender | Leigh Ann Robinson | FC Kansas City | 1,800 minutes |
Midfielder | Danielle Colaprico | Chicago Red Stars | 1,776 minutes |
Midfielder | Lauren Holiday | FC Kansas City | 2 goals, 2 assists |
Midfielder | Carli Lloyd | Houston Dash | 4 goals |
Midfielder | Keelin Winters | Seattle Reign FC | 1,654 minutes |
Forward | Sofia Huerta | Chicago Red Stars | 6 goals, 3 assists |
Forward | Megan Rapinoe | Seattle Reign FC | 5 goals, 5 assists |
Announced October 7, 2016[62]
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Ashlyn Harris | Orlando Pride | 62 saves |
Defender | Lauren Barnes | Seattle Reign FC | 1,775 minutes |
Defender | Arin Gilliland | Chicago Red Stars | 1.00 team GAA |
Defender | Emily Menges | Portland Thorns FC | 0.95 team GAA |
Defender | Becky Sauerbrunn | FC Kansas City | 1.00 team GAA |
Midfielder | Tobin Heath | Portland Thorns FC | Goal, 10 assists |
Midfielder | Allie Long | Portland Thorns FC | 6 goals, 2 assists |
Forward | Jessica McDonald | Western New York Flash | 10 goals, 7 assists |
Forward | Kealia Ohai | Houston Dash | 11 goals, 4 assists |
Forward | Christen Press | Chicago Red Stars | 8 goals |
Forward | Lynn Williams | Western New York Flash | 11 goals, 5 assists |
Second XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Alyssa Naeher | Chicago Red Stars | 1.00 GAA |
Defender | Julie Johnston | Chicago Red Stars | 1.00 team GAA |
Defender | Ali Krieger | Washington Spirit | 1.05 team GAA |
Defender | Christie Rampone | Sky Blue FC | 1,800 minutes |
Defender | Casey Short | Chicago Red Stars | 1,781 minutes |
Midfielder | Danielle Colaprico | Chicago Red Stars | Goal, 2 assists |
Midfielder | Vanessa DiBernardo | Chicago Red Stars | 7 assists |
Midfielder | Jess Fishlock | Seattle Reign FC | Goals, 4 assists |
Midfielder | Kim Little | Seattle Reign FC | 6 goals, 2 assists |
Forward | Crystal Dunn | Washington Spirit | 2 goals, 5 assists |
Forward | Shea Groom | FC Kansas City | 8 goals |
Best XI
Announced October 12, 2017[63]
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Adrianna Franch | Portland Thorns FC | 11 shutouts, 80 saves, .83 GAA |
Defender | Casey Short | Chicago Red Stars | 1 goal, 3rd-best defense in NWSL |
Defender | Abby Dahlkemper | North Carolina Courage | 121 corner kicks taken, 2 assists |
Defender | Becky Sauerbrunn | FC Kansas City | 157 clearances, 24 blocks, 1 goal, 2 assists |
Defender | Ali Krieger | Orlando Pride | 99 clearances, 49 interceptions, 2 assists |
Midfielder | Jess Fishlock | Seattle Reign FC | 7 goals, 2 assists |
Midfielder | Sam Mewis | North Carolina Courage | 6 goals, 3 assists |
Midfielder | McCall Zerboni | North Carolina Courage | 3 goals, 1 assist |
Forward | Marta | Orlando Pride | 13 goals, 6 assists, 64 chances created |
Forward | Sam Kerr | Sky Blue FC | 17 goals, 4 assists, 2 hattricks, 1 4-goal game |
Forward | Christen Press | Chicago Red Stars | 11 goals, 4 assists |
Second XI
Announced October 10, 2017[64]
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB | NOTE |
---|---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Katelyn Rowland | North Carolina Courage | 39 saves, 8 shutouts |
Defender | Steph Catley | Orlando Pride | 2,032 minutes played |
Defender | Abby Erceg | North Carolina Courage | 1 goal, 2 assists |
Defender | Meghan Klingenberg | Portland Thorns FC | 6 assists |
Defender | Emily Menges | Portland Thorns FC | 2,063 minutes played |
Midfielder | Danielle Colaprico | Chicago Red Stars | 1,903 minutes played |
Midfielder | Julie Ertz | Chicago Red Stars | 4 goals, 3 assists |
Midfielder | Lindsey Horan | Portland Thorns FC | 4 goals, 2 assists |
Midfielder | Sofia Huerta | Chicago Red Stars | 6 goals, 4 assists |
Forward | Alex Morgan | Orlando Pride | 9 goals, 4 assists |
Forward | Megan Rapinoe | Seattle Reign FC | 12 goals, 1 assist |
Announced September 20, 2018[65]
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Adrianna Franch | Portland Thorns FC |
Defender | Emily Sonnett | Portland Thorns FC |
Defender | Abby Dahlkemper | North Carolina Courage |
Defender | Becky Sauerbrunn | Utah Royals FC |
Defender | Abby Erceg | North Carolina Courage |
Midfielder | Tobin Heath | Portland Thorns FC |
Midfielder | Lindsey Horan | Portland Thorns FC |
Midfielder | McCall Zerboni | North Carolina Courage |
Forward | Crystal Dunn | North Carolina Courage |
Forward | Sam Kerr | Chicago Red Stars |
Forward | Megan Rapinoe | Seattle Reign |
Second XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Lydia Williams | Seattle Reign |
Defender | Emily Menges | Portland Thorns FC |
Defender | Merritt Mathias | North Carolina Courage |
Defender | Steph Catley | Seattle Reign |
Defender | Julie Ertz | Chicago Red Stars |
Midfielder | Carli Lloyd | Sky Blue FC |
Midfielder | Christine Sinclair | Portland Thorns FC |
Midfielder | Debinha | North Carolina Courage |
Forward | Lynn Williams | North Carolina Courage |
Forward | Sofia Huerta | Houston Dash |
Forward | Rachel Daly | Houston Dash |
Announced October 24, 2019[66]
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Aubrey Bledsoe | Washington Spirit |
Defender | Abby Dahlkemper | North Carolina Courage |
Defender | Ali Krieger | Orlando Pride |
Defender | Becky Sauerbrunn | Utah Royals FC |
Defender | Casey Short | Chicago Red Stars |
Midfielder | Julie Ertz | Chicago Red Stars |
Midfielder | Lindsey Horan | Portland Thorns FC |
Midfielder | Rose Lavelle | Washington Spirit |
Forward | Tobin Heath | Portland Thorns FC |
Forward | Sam Kerr | Chicago Red Stars |
Forward | Christen Press | Utah Royals FC |
Second XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Alyssa Naeher | Chicago Red Stars |
Defender | Lauren Barnes | Reign FC |
Defender | Abby Erceg | North Carolina Courage |
Defender | Kelley O'Hara | Utah Royals FC |
Defender | Emily Sonnett | Portland Thorns FC |
Midfielder | Bethany Balcer | Reign FC |
Midfielder | Crystal Dunn | North Carolina Courage |
Midfielder | Yūki Nagasato | Chicago Red Stars |
Forward | Kristen Hamilton | North Carolina Courage |
Forward | Carli Lloyd | Sky Blue FC |
Forward | Megan Rapinoe | Reign FC |
Announced November 17, 2021[67]
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Kailen Sheridan | NJ/NY Gotham FC |
Defender | Caprice Dydasco | NJ/NY Gotham FC |
Alana Cook | OL Reign | |
Sarah Gorden | Chicago Red Stars | |
Carson Pickett | North Carolina Courage | |
Midfielder/Forward | Ashley Hatch | Washington Spirit |
Jess Fishlock | OL Reign | |
Eugénie Le Sommer | OL Reign | |
Margaret Purce | NJ/NY Gotham FC | |
Trinity Rodman | Washington Spirit | |
Angela Salem | Portland Thorns FC |
Second XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Bella Bixby | Portland Thorns FC |
Defender | Sofia Huerta | OL Reign |
Emily Menges | Portland Thorns FC | |
Emily Fox | Racing Louisville FC | |
Meghan Klingenberg | Portland Thorns FC | |
Midfielder/Forward | Bethany Balcer | OL Reign |
Lindsey Horan | Portland Thorns FC | |
Mallory Pugh | Chicago Red Stars | |
Rachel Daly | Houston Dash | |
Sydney Leroux | Orlando Pride | |
Ifeoma Onumonu | NJ/NY Gotham FC |
Announced October 25, 2022[68]
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave FC |
Defender | Alana Cook | OL Reign |
Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC | |
Sofia Huerta | OL Reign | |
Carson Pickett | North Carolina Courage | |
Midfielder/Forward | Sam Coffey | Portland Thorns FC |
Lo'eau LaBonta | Kansas City Current | |
Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave FC | |
Debinha | North Carolina Courage | |
Mallory Pugh | Chicago Red Stars | |
Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC |
Second XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Adrianna Franch | Kansas City Current |
Defender | Kelli Hubly | Portland Thorns FC |
Hailie Mace | Kansas City Current | |
Tatumn Milazzo | Chicago Red Stars | |
Becky Sauerbrunn | Portland Thorns FC | |
Midfielder/Forward | Kerolin | North Carolina Courage |
Jess Fishlock | OL Reign | |
Rose Lavelle | OL Reign | |
Diana Ordóñez | North Carolina Courage | |
Megan Rapinoe | OL Reign | |
Ebony Salmon | Houston Dash |
Announced November 6, 2023[69]
Best XI
POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Jane Campbell | Houston Dash |
Defender | Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC |
Ali Krieger | NJ/NY Gotham FC | |
Sarah Gorden | Angel City FC | |
Sam Staab | Washington Spirit | |
Midfielder/Forward | Sam Coffey | Portland Thorns FC |
Debinha | Kansas City Current | |
Jaedyn Shaw | San Diego Wave FC | |
Kerolin | North Carolina Courage | |
Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC | |
Lynn Williams | NJ/NY Gotham FC |
Second XI
Players still active in the NWSL | |
Bold* | Players on most recent list |
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Related articles | |
National Women's Footballer of the Year award | |
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UEFA | |
AFC | |
CONCACAF |
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