LA Galaxy announce 2015 team awards

CARSON, Calif. (Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015) – The LA Galaxy announced the winners for the club’s 2015 Team Awards following the team’s loss against Portland Timbers FC. Forward Robbie Keane won LA Galaxy MVP for the fourth consecutive season, defender Leonardo won Defender of the Year and defender Todd Dunivant was named Humanitarian of the Year. For LA Galaxy II, forward Jack McBean won Most Valuable Player honors, Daniel Steres won Defender of the Year and Ariel Lassiter earned Golden Boot honors with 11 goals in the 2015 USL Regular Season and an additional four goals in the USL Playoffs. Midfielder Adrian Vera earned LA Galaxy Academy Player of the Year honors.

Robbie Keane leads the Galaxy with 19 goals on the season, just two shy of his career high 19 goals recorded in 2014. The Irishman has also recorded eight assists in MLS play. He is on pace to lead LA in scoring for the fourth consecutive year. He has also has scored 15+ goals in four consecutive seasons. In his MLS career, Keane has now recorded 72 goals and 43 assists in 107 MLS appearances with the Galaxy. Only two players in MLS history recorded more goals than Keane’s 66 through his first 100 games – Carlos Ruiz tallied 67 and Roy Lassiter tallied 69 while reaching the century mark in MLS appearances. No player tallied more goals and assists through their first 100 games than Robbie Keane, who 106 goals and assists through 100 games.

Defender of the Year: Leonardo

Leonardo has started a career-high 25 MLS matches this year for the Galaxy, logging over 2,100 minutes. The Brazilian central defender was a key part of a backline that allowed just 16 goals at home, tied for the lowest in Major League Soccer, in addition to recording eight shutouts during the year. He won 48 tackles during the MLS Regular Season, the highest number of any Galaxy defender. Additionally, Leonardo won 131 duels, recorded 126 interceptions and made 128 clearances from the central defender position.

Humanitarian of the Year: Todd Dunivant

Defender Todd Dunivant has once again dedicated his time and voice to encourage community development in Los Angeles this year. Throughout his final season with the club, Todd has volunteered his time to growing the game of soccer within Los Angeles, working with local underserved youth while lending his voice to various causes such as March of Dimes and the LA Regional Food Bank. He kicked off his philanthropic efforts this season by hosting a soccer clinic for over 100 special needs children alongside USC’s Kicks for Kids youth program. In conjunction with LA Galaxy’s 20 for Twenty community initiative, which celebrates the club’s 20^th season with 20 volunteer events, Todd has participated in a Heal the Bay Beach Clean-up and a Children’s Hospital Los Angeles visit. As the season has progressed, Todd supported and participated in events with the LA Galaxy Special Olympics Unified soccer team as they prepared to face the FC Dallas Special Olympics Unified soccer team in the fall. Most recently, Todd delivered over 200 meals to a local Compton elementary school on behalf of the LA Galaxy Foundation and LA Regional Food Bank to provide healthy food options for students as they headed into the weekend.

Golden Boot: TBA
The 2015 LA Galaxy Golden Boot winner will be confirmed following the Galaxy’s match next Sunday, Oct. 25 against Sporting Kansas City. Robbie Keane currently leads the club with 17 goals on the year, with midfielder Sebastian Lletget in second place with seven goals on the year.

Most Valuable Player: Jack McBean

Forward Jack McBean led an LA Galaxy II offensive attack that registered 39 total goals over the regular season, scoring six goals and adding five assists in regular season play. McBean also recorded an assist in USL postseason play, helping lead Los Dos to capturing its first-ever USL Western Conference Championship and first ever USL Championship appearance. His three-game winning goals were tied for the most for the Galaxy this season.

Defender of the Year: Daniel Steres

Steres captained LA Galaxy II and was once again a mainstay in the Los Dos defense for the second straight season, starting in 24 matches – the most of any Galaxy II defender – while adding two goals in regular season play. The two-time USL All-League Team selection started in all four of Galaxy II’s USL Playoff matches. This is his second-straight year earning the LA Galaxy II Defender of the Year award.
Golden Boot: Ariel Lassiter

Lassiter, 21, joined Galaxy II ahead of the 2015 season. In His first year in USL, Lassiter scored 11 times during the Regular Season, including three game-winning goals. During postseason play, the forward added an additional four goals, scoring in three consecutive USL Playoff matches. Lassiter finishes the USL season with 15 goals overall with one assist.

Vera, 18, signed his first professional contract when he signed with LA Galaxy II on July 20 earlier this year. He also recorded his first professional minutes when he appeared for Los Dos this season. Vera was a member of the LA Galaxy Academy’s U-15/16 and U-17/18 sides since the 2011-12 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season. During the 2014-15 season, he led the LA Galaxy U-18’s with 17 goals and three assists to a 22-11-6 record during the season to finish third in the Development Academy’s West Conference.
LA Galaxy Team Award Winners