FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution has three players listed among the finalists of four of Major League Soccer’s 2013 awards, the league announced today.
Captain Jose Goncalves is one of three finalists for both Defender of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, while goalkeeper Matt Reis is a finalist for the MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year and defender Kevin Alston is a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year.
Goncalves, 28, joined the Revolution this season from Swiss club FC Sion. The central defender was named club captain in early May and started all 34 games this season, playing every minute of every game. He helped anchor the Revs’ defense that was among the top defensive corps all season, and which finished the year tied for third-best in the league. Goncalves also added two goals – both game-winners: at Columbus on July 20 and at Montreal on Oct. 12.
The defender of the year is expected to be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26, while newcomer of the year is expected to be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
Reis, 38, has been a mainstay in goal for the Revs for almost a decade, but on April 15, 2013, he made the save of his life when he saved his father-in-law’s life at the site of the first Boston Marathon bombing. Reis, who had been standing in the same place as his father-in-law John Odom just minutes before, rushed back in to the blast site to tend to Odom, including using clothing as make-shift tourniquets to stem more significant blood loss. Later this season, as Odom recovered his from his life-threatening injuries and re-learned to walk, Reis raised more than $125,00 for the John Odom Recovery Fund at his annual golf tournament.
The humanitarian of the year is expected to be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Alston, 25, started every game for which he was available in the first four years of his MLS career. But in late March, needing to be subbed out of a game, he knew something wasn’t right and sought medical advice. One week later, he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a rare but treatable form of leukemia. While there is no cure for CML, after four-and-a-half months of treatment Alston returned to the field on July 27, in his hometown of Washington, D.C.
The comeback player of the year is expected to be announced on Monday, Dec. 2.
The Revolution has previously had one league defender of the year: Michael Parkhurst (2007). Additionally, the team has had two previous humanitarians of the year: Parkhurst (2006) and Zak Boggs (2011). The Revs have never had a newcomer of the year or a comeback player of the year at the league level.
The complete 2013 MLS awards announcement schedule is below (subject to change):
November 25: AT&T Rookie of the Year, Xbox Fair Play Individual & Team of the Year
November 26: MLS Defender of the Year, MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, and Referee/Assistant Referee of the Year
December 2: MLS Coach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year
December 3: 2013 MLS Best XI
December 4: Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year
December 5: AT&T Goal of the Year, MLS Save of the Year and Volkswagen MLS MVP
