MILWAUKEE, WI – United Soccer Leagues announced today Seattle Sounders midfielder Leighton O’Brien as the winner of the 2002 A-League Most Valuable Player award at the A-League Championship Media Luncheon. O’Brien became the first player since the Colorado Fox’s Taifour Diane in 1992 to win the award without also finishing as the Scoring Champion or Goalkeeper of the Year. He’s also the third Sounder to win the award
O’Brien was one of the catalysts behind the club’s phenomenal season this year, leading the Sounders to the second best record in league history. The Sounders finished one win shy of Rochester’s 24-4 mark with a final record of 23-4-1.
The Sounders offense was the talk of the season throughout the year and not surprisingly, two of the teams players finished in the top three of the league scoring table. O’Brien finished third with 37 points, three behind teammate Brian Ching and five back of Scoring Champion McKinley Tennyson of the Portland Timbers.
With 13 goals and 11 assists, O’Brien was one of two players to post double digits in goals and assists on the year. Minnesota’s John Menyongar finished atop the assist table with O’Brien while posting 10 goals on the season.
One of his top performances of the season was a five-point night against the Hampton Roads Mariners in Seattle. O’Brien tallied two goals and an assist for the club in a 5-1 romp June 22.
Despite leading the league in goals scored with 71 in 28 games, the Sounders only had one other five-point performance from a player on the season. Darren Sawatzky struck for two goals and an assist in a 4-1 win over Calgary May 25.
O’Brien joined Mark Baena and Peter Hattrup as the third Sounder to win the award, making Seattle the only the second team (Colorado Foxes) in league history to see the award go to one of its players three times. Hattrup (1995) and Baena (1998) each led the league in points and goals the years in which they were honored as MVP. Hattrup, like O’Brien, also finished tied atop the assist table.
O’Brien led the team in scoring last year as the Sounders missed the postseason for the first time since joining the league in 1994, tallying 11 goals and seven assists for 19 points. His totals, which earned him a spot on the All-League First Team, were 15 more points than Jason Farrel who was second. He ranked seventh in the league in points and assists and eighth in goals.
The Tacoma, Washington native played at the University of San Diego and was a third round pick (25th overall) by the New England Revolution in the 1999 Major League Soccer College Draft. He would go on to play just four games for the San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes) that season.
He also played seven games with U.S. Pro-40 Select in the A-League in 1999, scoring one goal. The following year, he played for the San Diego Flash, but only tallied two assists in 21 games.
The A-League MVP award is voted on by the teams.
All-Time A-League Most Valuable Players
2002, Leighton O’Brien, Seattle Sounders
2001, Paul Conway, Charleston Battery
2000, Digital Takawira, Milwaukee Rampage
1999, John Swallen, Minnesota Thunder
1998, Mark Baena, Seattle Sounders
1997, Doug Miller, Rochester Raging Rhinos
1996, Wolde Harris, Colorado Foxes
1995, Peter Hattrup, Seattle Sounders
1994, Paulinho, Los Angeles Salsa
1993, Paulinho, Los Angeles Salsa
1992, Taifour Diane, Colorado Foxes
1991, Jean Harbor, Maryland Bays
1990 ASL, Phillip Gyau, Maryland Bays
1990 WSL, Mark Dodd, Colorado Foxes
1989 WSL, Kasey Keller, Portland Timbers
1988 WSL, Marcelo Balboa, San Diego Nomads
1987 WSL, Brent Goulet, FC Portland
1986 WSA, Paul Caligiuri, San Diego Nomads
Gerald Barnhart - USL Public Relations - Tampa, FL - 813.963.3909 - fax 813.963.3807
