Timbers Conclude 2016 Campaign with Year-End Club Awards
The Portland Timbers conclude the 2016 campaign with their year-end club awards to honor the best moments and players of the season. Along with the MLS first team awards, the Portland Thorns, Academy and U23 side players also received recognition for another stellar year of Portland soccer.
MLS Soccer News: The Portland Timbers announced their club awards following the conclusion of the 2016 Major League Soccer season. In total, eight major awards were presented as the club recognized achievements, performances and moments from the team’s 2016 campaign.
Additionally, the Timbers and Portland Thorns FC announced the recipients from their developmental programs, recognizing coaches and players from the Academy, U23s, Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) and youth camp programs.
Players’ Player of the Year – Diego Chara
Voted on by the players, midfielder Diego Chara received the 2016 Players’ Player of the Year award. In his sixth season with Portland, Chara started and played 90 minutes in 27 of his 30 regular-season appearances, logging the third-most minutes (2,600) on the team, behind only forward Fanendo Adi and midfielder Diego Valeri. Chara receives the honor for his third time in six seasons with the Timbers.
Supporters’ Player of the Year – Diego Valeri
Voted on by the supporters and presented at the final regular-season home match on October 16th, Diego Valeri was named Supporters’ Player of the Year for the second time since joining the Timbers in 2013. In his fourth season with Portland, Valeri tallied a career-high 14 goals, while recording a team-high seven assists. In 30 matches played (30 starts) in 2016, Valeri ranked second in chances created (89), averaging 2.9 chances created per game in the MLS. Additionally, Valeri’s goal and assist tally in 2016 vaulted the midfielder into the top five for points, goals and assists in club history since 1975.
Golden Boot – Fanendo Adi
For the second consecutive season, Fanendo Adi was awarded the Golden Boot as the club’s leading goal-scorer in 2016. Adi recorded 16 goals in 33 games played (30 starts) in 2016, matching his regular-season tally from the 2015 MLS campaign, with his 16 finishes ranking as a club record during the Timbers’ MLS era. Ranking third for goals scored in Timbers history, Adi became the third player in MLS history to record back-to-back 16-goal seasons before the age of 27.
Unsung Hero – Jack Jewsbury
In his final season of his MLS career, Jack Jewsbury appeared in 23 matches (17 starts), extending his career tally to 352 games played. Jewsbury became one of only 10 players in league history to record 350 appearances or more. The 35-year-old midfielder recorded 11 consecutive starts over the final stretch of the season, scoring one goal while logging 90 minutes in nine of those games. Winning his second Unsung Hero award with the Timbers, Jewsbury retires ranked fourth for games played (157), eighth for assists (17) and 16th for total points (45) in club history across all eras (since 1975).
Play of the Year – Diego Valeri’s chip July 17 against Seattle Sounders FC
The 2016 Timbers’ Play of the Year was awarded to Diego Valeri for his notable chip in the Timbers’ 3-1 win against Seattle Sounders FC on July 17th. Nominated for the 2016 AT&T MLS Goal of the Year, Valeri’s finish marked his second goal of the game against the Sounders, extending the Timbers’ lead in a 3-1 win at Providence Park over their Cascadia rival. The midfielder chipped Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei from the far right side of the box, rattling his effort off the far post and into the back of the net.
Defender of the Year – Diego Chara
Diego Chara was awarded the team’s Defender of the Year award for the first time in his career. Ranking tied for the most starts (30) on the team this campaign, Chara tallied a team-high 111 tackles, ranking as the third-most in the MLS. Additionally, Chara won the third-most tackles (80) in the league this season, winning 72 percent of his tackles.
Up-and-Coming Player of the Year – Jack Barmby
Jack Barmby, 21, was named the Timbers Up-and-Coming Player of the Year for the 2016 campaign. Playing in his first season with the Timbers, Barmby made his MLS regular-season debut on April 3rd, starting and playing the full match against Orlando City SC. In his third appearance with the Timbers, Barmby scored the club’s lone goal in a 1-1 draw against the New England Revolution on April 27th. During the 2016 season, Barmby played in 19 games (2 starts) in regular-season play, ranking tied with midfielder Ned Grabavoy for the most substitute appearances on the team (17).
Community MVP – Zarek Valentin
Presented during the club’s annual Stand Together Banquet in September, the Timbers Community MVP was awarded to Zarek Valentin, who was an integral part of the Portland community during the 2016 season. Taking an active role through the club’s Stand Together platform, Valentin hosted bilingual reading assemblies at local schools, inspired Special Olympics athletes at the Unified Sports exchange program, joined soccer camp participants to discuss the importance of leading healthy, active lifestyles, and much more.
Thorns and Academy Award Winners
Timbers Academy Player of the Year (2015-16) – Marco Farfan
Timbers U-23s Player of the Year – Max Ornstil
Timbers ODP Boys Coach of the Year – Chris Thurley
Timbers ODP Boys Player of the Year – Andre Saucedo-Avila
Thorns FC ODP Girls Coach of the Year – Jennifer Hull
Thorns FC ODP Girls Player of the Year – Paige Alexander
Timbers Camp Boys Coach of the Year – Anthony Pagano
Timbers Camp Girls Coach of the Year – Laura Sullivan
Photo Credit: Portland Timbers
