USL News Release
Friday, August 1, 2008
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – United Soccer Leagues announced the top W-League honors for the 2008 season Friday during the W-League Championship banquet at the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel, honoring the All-League selections as well as the U19 Player of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Coach of the Year and Most Valuable Player as voted on by the league’s coaches and general managers.
Most Valuable Player – Sarah Steinmann (Atlanta Silverbacks)
Taking home the top honor of the night as 2008 W-League Most Valuable Player was Atlanta Silverbacks striker Sarah Steinmann. Steinmann was the Scoring Champion as well as the Goal Scoring Champion for her efforts this year, leading the league in both points (40) and goals (19). To put her remarkable season in perspective, the second leading scorer in the league had 14 goals. In her five previous seasons in the W-League, Steinmann scored a total of 25 goals.
The Silverbacks’ striker began the year by scoring seven goals in the first three games, and never looked back. As a mark of consistency, the Lilburn, Georgia native scored in nine of the team’s 14 games this year, leading the team to an undefeated regular season.
Steinmann was selected to the W-League Team of the Week on three occasions this year, twice last season, and was also named the Player of the Week once. The Auburn University alum (2001-04) is in her third season with Atlanta after playing for the Charlotte Lady Eagles in 2003 and 2004.
Coach of the Year – Tony Anglin (Atlanta Silverbacks)
First-year Silverbacks head coach Tony Anglin earned the W-League Coach of the Year honor by leading Atlanta to 13-0-1 record on the season, one of three unbeaten campaigns in the league this season. Anglin joined the Silverbacks organization in 2004 to coach and manage the Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves. Anglin first joined the Atlanta Silverbacks Women’s staff as interim head coach during the 2006 season and served as the assistant coach last year. Anglin rose to the semi-professional ranks in England, his home country, before beginning his coaching career.
Defender of the Year – Sue Weber (Long Island Rough Riders)
As the anchor of the Rough Riders back line, Sue Weber was honored as the W-League Defender of the Year. The Long Island defense was tied for fourth in the league with only seven goals allowed in 14 games this season in what was arguably the most competitive division of the league. She played in 13 games this season, leading the team in minutes played and also contributing two assists on the year.
Goalkeeper of the Year – Mallori Lofton-Malachi (Tampa Bay Hellenic)
Tampa Bay netminder Mallori Lofton-Malachi left quite an impression on the opposition this season, earning the Goalkeeper of the Year honor despite finishing six in the league in goals against average. She helped guide the expansion side to a third-place finish in the Atlantic with a personal record of 6-1-2 on the season and three shutouts. In her lone game against the top two in the division, Lofton-Mallachi posted a shutout against the vaunted Atlanta Silverbacks attack, including a penalty kick save. She allowed just five goals in her nine appearances.
U19 Player of the Year – Fortuna Velaj (Connecticut Passion)
Expansion teams are supposed to rely on veteran players to get through their first season, but the Passion found 18-year old standout Fortuna Velaj stepping up to guide the squad to a fifth-place finish out of nine teams in the division, missing the playoffs by only six points. En route to earning the W-League U19 Player of the Year honor, Velaj posted a team-leading eight goals on the year, scoring three goals in a pair of 2-1 wins over playoff participant Boston in the final four games of the season. Although Velaj and the Passion missed the W-League postseason, she is now aiming for a USL Super-20 League championship with CFC in Virginia Beach.
W-League 2008 All-League Team
G - Mallori Lofton-Malachi (Tampa Bay Hellenic)
D - Marie-Eve Nault (FC Indiana Lionesses)
D - Cindy Walsh (Laval Comets)
D - Sue Weber (Long Island Rough Riders)
M - Chelsea Cline (Minnesota Lightning)
M - Michelle French (Seattle Sounders)
M - Lori Lindsey (Washington Freedom)
M - Jill Oakes (Pali Blues)
F - Shay Powell (Ottawa Fury)
F - Sarah Steinmann (Atlanta Silverbacks)
F - Christie Welsh (Washington Freedom)
