The NWSL held its first-ever awards show to celebrate outstanding players and coaches ahead of the 2025 Championship. The event recognized the best performances from the season.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) hosted its first awards ceremony on Wednesday night. The show was broadcast live and honored the league's top players, coaches, and teams.
Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga won both the MVP and Golden Boot awards for the second year in a row. She is the first player in NWSL history to win MVP two times in a row. Chawinga scored 15 goals and had three assists in 23 games. She was also named to the Best XI first team.
Lorena from Kansas City was named Goalkeeper of the Year. She allowed only 13 goals in 24 matches and kept 14 clean sheets. Her strong play helped her team set new defensive records.
Tara McKeown of the Washington Spirit was named Defender of the Year. In her third season, she played over 2,500 minutes and made 140 clearances and 55 interceptions. McKeown was also included in the Best XI first team.
Manaka Matsukubo from North Carolina Courage won Midfielder of the Year. She led all midfielders with 11 goal contributions and became the youngest player to score a hat trick in NWSL history.
Lilly Reale of Gotham FC was named Rookie of the Year. She played in all 26 matches and helped her team allow only 25 goals, one of the best defensive records in the league.
The Best XI first team included Lorena, Izzy Rodriguez, Kayla Sharples, Tara McKeown, and others. The second team featured players like Claudia Dickey and Lilly Reale, showing the depth of talent in the league.
Bev Yanez, head coach of Racing Louisville, was named Coach of the Year. In her second season, she led the team to its best league finish and its first playoff appearance.
Sam Hiatt from Portland Thorns received the Lauren Holiday Impact Award. The award comes with a donation of 46,000 EUR to Candlelighters Oregon. Hiatt was recognized for her work in the community, inspired by her own experiences with childhood cancer.
