USL Awards: Reno 1868's Kelly is named MVP

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Nov 22, 2017

Jamaican Dane Kelly, who led the USL with 18 goals in a record-setting season for expansion Reno 1868, was named the league's 2017 Most Valuable Player.
 
Kelly, 26, entered the season as the USL’s modern-era leader with 48 regular-season goals and added to that with 18 goals that  included a six-game scoring streak that featured back-to-back hat tricks.

USL MVPs:
2011: Yordany Alvarez (Orlando City)
2012: Kevin Molino (Orlando City)
2013: Jose Angulo (Pittsburgh)
2014: Kevin Molino (Orlando City)
2015: Matt Fondy (Louisville City)
2016: Sean Okoli (FC Cincinnati)
2017: Dane Kelly (Reno 1868)

Kelly, who spent five seasons with the Charleston Battery and  one with Swope Park Rangers, earned his first cap for Jamaica in September.

“A player like me, who has been playing in the league for such a long time, to be awarded the Golden Boot earlier in the season and then get the MVP award, it means so much to me,” said Kelly. “I couldn’t have done any of this without the help of my Reno 1868 FC family, so I have to say kudos to them for helping me have such a good season.”

Reno set a single-season USL record with 75 goals in the regular season.
 
MVP:
55% Dane Kelly (Reno 1868)
30% Enzo Martinez (Charlotte)
15% Chandler Hoffman (Real Monarchs)

Goalkeeper of the Year:
50% Diego Restrepo (San Antonio FC)
26% Earl Edwards Jr. (Orlando City B)
24% Mitch Hildebrandt (FC Cincinnati)

Defender of the Year:
54% Sebastien Ibeagha (San Antonio FC)
27% Paco Craig (Louisville City)
19% Harrison Delbridge (FC Cincinnati)

Rookie of the Year:
72% Chris Wehan (Reno 1868)
14% Richard Ballard (Louisville City)
14% Santi Moar (Bethlehem Steel)

Coach of the Year:
41% Mark Briggs (Real Monarchs)
31% James O’Connor (Louisville City)
28% Ian Russell (Reno 1868)