FCKC’s Sauerbrunn voted NWSL defender of the year

For the third straight season, FC Kansas City’s Becky Sauerbrunn has been voted National Women’s Soccer League defender of the year. She is the only player in the league to win an award in three consecutive seasons.

The award was selected by journalists, club officials, players and fans.

“Hands down, Becky is the best defender in the world,” FC Kansas City coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “Every day and every game she has proven that, and I am very happy to see that she is winning this award for a third time in a row. I am blessed to be a little part of her soccer career.”

Sauerbrunn led a Blues’ deep backline that produced two finalists for the award and led the league with just 20 goals conceded in 20 matches and four goals allowed in 10 home games. The other FC Kansas City finalist was Amy LePeilbet, who played every minute for the Blues after coming off an ACL surgery.

FC Kansas City’s Nicole Barnhart was a finalist for goalkeeper of the year and Andonovski was a finalist for coach of the year.

“It says a lot about the defensive players as a group, with how competitive they are,” Andonovski said. “I am very happy and proud of them.”

Sauerbrunn played every minute in her 11 matches with FC Kansas City and split time during the season with the U.S. Women’s National Team that won the World Cup. With FC Kansas City, she was part of the five of the team’s league-best nine shutouts. She was also a part of the Blues’ record-tying four-match shutout streak, which featured two straight matches without a shot on goal.

On the U.S. national team, Sauerbrunn played every minute of the team’s FIFA Women’s World Cup championship run.

FC Kansas City will compete against the Seattle Reign FC for the NWSL championship at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 at Providence Park in Portland. It will be televised on Fox Sports 1.

This story was originally published September 21, 2015 at 7:10 PM with the headline "FCKC’s Sauerbrunn voted NWSL defender of the year."