Howard and Lloyd win top U.S. Soccer Awards

• by Soccer America , Dec 19, 2008

[AWARDS] U.S. Soccer named U.S. men's national team goalkeeper Tim Howard as the 2008 Male Athlete of the Year and Carli Lloyd, whose goal gave the USA a gold medal in 2008 Olympic women's soccer, as the 2008 Female Athlete of the Year. Midfielders Sacha Kljestan, who represented the USA in Olympic men's soccer and 2010 World Cup qualifying, and Kristie Mewis, who starred on the U.S. Under-17 Women's World Cup team, won the Young Male and Young Female Awards, respectively.

The U.S. Athlete of the Year honor is the first for both Howard and Lloyd.

Howard is the third U.S. goalie to win the award. Kasey Keller won the honor a record three times, and Brad Friedel won it once.

Lloyd is the 11th female winner in the award's 24 years. Mia Hamm won five straight years (1994-96). Abby Wambach won the last of her three awards in 2007, and Kristine Lilly and Michelle Akers also won three times.

As in years past, online votes registered at ussoccer.com counted for 50 percent of the total votes, while the other 50 percent was represented by votes compiled from members of the national media and U.S. Soccer representatives, including national team coaches and the members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors. (A player can only win the Young Athlete award once in his or her career.)

(Click here for all the 2008 candidates.)

Male Athlete of the Year
2008 Tim Howard
2007 Clint Dempsey
2006 Oguchi Onyewu
2005 Kasey Keller
2004 Landon Donovan
2003 Landon Donovan
2002 Brad Friedel
2001 Earnie Stewart
2000 Chris Armas
1999 Kasey Keller
1998 Cobi Jones
1997 Kasey Keller
1996 Eric Wynalda
1995 Alexi Lalas
1994 Marcelo Balboa
1993 Thomas Dooley
1992 Marcelo Balboa
1991 Hugo Perez
1990 Tab Ramos
1989 Mike Windischmann
1988 Peter Vermes
1987 Brent Goulet
1986 Paul Caligiuri
1985 Perry Van der Beck
1984 Rick Davis

Female Athlete of the Year
2008 Carli Lloyd
2007 Abby Wambach
2006 Kristine Lilly
2005 Kristine Lilly
2004 Abby Wambach
2003 Abby Wambach
2002 Shannon MacMillan
2001 Tiffeny Milbrett
2000 Tiffeny Milbrett
1999 Michelle Akers
1998 Mia Hamm
1997 Mia Hamm
1996 Mia Hamm
1995 Mia Hamm
1994 Mia Hamm
1993 Kristine Lilly
1992 Carin Jennings-Gabarra
1991 Michelle Akers
1990 Michelle Akers
1989 April Heinrichs
1988 Joy Biefield
1987 Carin Jennings-Gabarra
1986 April Heinrichs
1985 Sharon Remer