NWSL: Mark Parsons, 30, named Coach of the Year

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Oct 4, 2016

First-year Portland Thorns head coach Mark Parsons became the youngest head coach in NWSL history to be named Coach of the Year, winning the 2016 award ahead of Jim Gabarra (Washington Spirit) and 
Paul Riley (Western New York Flash).

NWSL Coach of the Year:
2013: Vlatko Andonovski, FC Kansas City
2014:  Laura Harvey, Seattle
2015: Laura Harvey, Seattle
2016: Mark Parsons, Portland

Parsons, 30, guided Portland to the best regular-season record and its first-ever NWSL Shield in his first season with the club. The Englishman joined the Thorns from the Washington Spirit, which he led to the NWSL playoffs in 2014 and 2015. Like the Spirit, the Thorns fell in the semifinals, losing to the Flash, 4-3, in overtime on Sunday.

The Thorns led the NWSL with  the fewest goals allowed (19) and a 0.95 goals-against average during the regular season.