CHICAGO The Chicago Red Stars opened voting today for the club's 2021 Player Awards. Starting today, fans can visit www.chicagoredstars.com/awards to cast their vote for players in seven categories: Rookie of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Most Improved, Chicago Grit Award, Best Defender, Humanitarian of the Year and Most Valuable Player. A Golden Boot also will be awarded to Kealia Watt for leading the team in total goals scored during the regular season with a total of five.
Voting for winners will be weighted equally between players, staff/owners and fans and will remain open until 5 p.m. CT on Sunday, Nov. 7, with winners being announced the week of Nov. 8 on the Red Stars' social-media channels.
Here are the nominees for each category:
Rookie of the Year: Tatumn Milazzo
Newcomer of the Year: Sarah Woldmoe, Cassie Miller and Mal Pugh
Most Improved: Sarah Woldmoe, Cassie Miller, Rachel Hill,
Makenzy Doniak and Katie Johnson
Chicago Grit: Arin Wright, Rachel Hill, Vanessa DiBernardo, Alyssa Mautz and Kealia Watt
Best Defender: Tierna Davidson, Sarah Gorden, Casey Krueger, Arin Wright and Kayla Sharples
Humanitarian of the Year: Zoe Morse, Sarah Gorden, Danny Colaprico, Rachel Hill and Cassie Miller
MVP: Mal Pugh, Kealia Watt and Morgan Gautrat
To vote for the 2021 Player Awards, visit www.chicagoredstars.com/awards.
About the Chicago Red Stars
Established in 2007, the Red Stars were a founding member of the former Women's Professional Soccer and would later become one of the original eight teams to form the National Women's Soccer League in 2013. The Red Stars have made the playoffs in six consecutive years from 2015-2020, clinching the team's first appearance in the NWSL Championship in the 2019 season as well as appearing in the NWSL's Challenge Cup Final in 2020.