Schmid, Keller, & Rosales Finalists for MLS Year-End Awards

Winners for each award will be announced prior to MLS Cup on November 20.

RENTON, WASH. - Major League Soccer today announced Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller, midfielder Mauro Rosales and head coach Sigi Schmid as finalists for its 2011 year-end awards. Winners for each award will be announced prior to MLS Cup on November 20.

This is the second time that Keller is a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year. He finished first in wins (18), third in saves (110), tied for third in shutouts (9) and fifth in goals-against average (1.09). Keller started 89 straight matches since early in 2009.  

An early-season signing, Rosales is a finalist for Newcomer of the Year. The former Argentine international set a club record with 13 assists, ranking third in MLS. He also scored five goals.

Schmid, a two-time Coach of the Year winner, is a finalist for the second time in his three seasons with Seattle. Despite being hit hard by injuries to key players Sounders FC won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for a third consecutive year, advanced to the quarterfinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League and finished just four points behind the L.A. Galaxy (18-7-9, 63 points) in the Supporters' Shield race.

The finalists, listed in alphabetical order below for each award, earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups:

• Current MLS players
• MLS Clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors, Presidents, and PR/Community Relations)
• Media members who covered MLS regularly in 2011

Voting was based on performance in the 2011 MLS Regular Season.

This season's most outstanding individual plays will be honored on Wednesday, Nov. 16 when the AT&T Goal of the Year and the Save of the Year are announced. Voting for the AT&T Goal of the Year and the MLS Save of the Year is conducted on the League's official web site MLSsoccer.com.  

The 2011 awards announcements conclude Friday, Nov. 18 with the unveiling of the 2011 MLS Volkswagen MVP and Commissioner's Award. 

2011 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)

Rookie of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 8
Michael Farfan (Philadelphia Union)
Perry Kitchen (D.C. United) 
C.J. Sapong (Sporting Kansas City) 

XBox 360 Individual Fair Play Finalists* - Winner to be announced Nov. 8
Darrius Barnes (New England Revolution)
Kosuke Kimura (Colorado Rapids)
Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)
Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games & minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.

XBox 360 Team Fair Play Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 8
Chivas USA
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
*Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received, and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.

Visa Defender of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 9
Nat Borchers (Real Salt Lake)                     
Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy)                
Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake)

MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 9
Zak Boggs (New England Revolution)
Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo)
Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Referee of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 9
Mark Geiger                      
Ricardo Salazar
Kevin Stott

Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 9
Sean Hurd
Corey Rockwell
Adam Wienckowski

Coach of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 14
Bruce Arena (LA Galaxy)                                    
Sigi Schmid (Seattle Sounders FC)        
Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City)  

Comeback Player of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 14
David Beckham (LA Galaxy)
Charlie Davies (D.C. United)
Dominic Oduro (Chicago Fire)

Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 15
Kevin Hartman (FC Dallas)
Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC)
Faryd Mondragon (Philadelphia Union)

Newcomer of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 15
Eric Hassli (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)           
Luke Rodgers (New York Red Bulls)       
Mauro Rosales (Seattle Sounders FC)

Volkswagen Most Valuable Player Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 18
Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo)                   
Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United)               
Brek Shea (FC Dallas)

Awards Announcements Schedule: 
November 8: MLS Rookie of the Year, Xbox Fair Play Individual & Team of the Year
November 9: Defender of the Year, MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year, and Referee/Assistant Referee of the Year
November 10: 2011 MLS Best XI
November 14: MLSCoach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year
November 15: Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year
November 16: AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year
November 18: Volkswagen MVP and Commissioner's Award