Apologies for the lack of posts regarding FC Kansas City not just in the last week, but the season as a whole. Life has been catching up with me a bit and I had to cut down a little bit in some of my coverage, unfortunately it was the Blues that had to get chopped a bit.
Year End Awards
While FC Kansas City's season ended last weekend against Portland in the NWSL semifinals, FCKC did clean up when it came to the end of season awards. FCKC swept all the individual awards and put seven players on the first and second team Best XI.
In goalkeeper of the year, Nicole Barnhart won the award, finishing the season with 10 shutouts, the most in the league and finished 3rd in goals against average with .95.
Erika Tymrak won the league's rookie of the year award. After starting the season as a substitute off the bench, Tymrak established herself as key to the Blues attack as the season went on. She finished the season with six goals and four assists.
Another award FC Kansas City won was defender of the year, which was award to Becky Sauerbrunn. Sauerbrunn helped to anchor the defense in front of goalkeeper for the year, Barnhart.
Coach of the year in the NWSL went to the Blues coach, Vlatko Andonovski. In his first season coaching at this level, Andonovski led FC Kansas City to an 11-6-5 record, tied for the most points in the league, and second in the table.
In the award that probably surprised people the least, Lauren Holiday was named the NWSL MVP. Holiday also won the league's Golden Boot, scoring 12 goals while also adding 8 assists. Basically Holiday contributed in 59% of the Blues goals this year, and also missed four games with US call ups and getting married.
Barnhart, Sauerbrunn, and Holiday were all named to the Best XI first team, along with defender Leigh Ann Robinson. On the second team Tymrak was joined by Lauren Sesselmann, and Desiree Scott.
National Team Call Ups
Also recently announced was the call ups for the US women's team game against Mexico on September 3rd. FC Kansas City led the way in players on the roster with six. KC's three allocated players, Barnhart, Holiday, and Sauerbrunn were all named to the roster, along with Kristie Mewis, who has become a regular on the national team.
Two new Blues players will get the chance to earn their first caps against Mexico. Robinson and Tymrak were called up for the first time. Both had stellar seasons for Kansas City, Robinson established herself as one of the better outside backs in the league, while Tymrak won rookie of the year.
Offseason Loans
Speaking of Tymrak, rumors started to make the rounds yesterday on Twitter of Tymrak going out on loan to German club Bayern Munich during the NWSL offseason. Thad was able to confirm this rumor. He also mentioned that Blues' back up goalkeeper, Bianca Henninger will be joining Tymrak at the German club. There's also mention of more loans coming up.
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