The NWSL Defender of the Year award is presented annually to the best defensive player in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
Becky Sauerbrunn won the first three Defender of the Year awards from 2013 to 2015 and added her fourth in 2019. The most recent winner and only other multiple-time winner is Naomi Girma (2022, 2023).
As of 2023, [update] the Defender of the Year award is voted upon in two rounds: in the first round, players (50%), owners/general managers/coaches (25%), and media (25%) vote to determine the nominees; in the second round, players (50%), owners/general managers/coaches (20%), media (20%), and fans (10%) vote among the nominees to determine the winner. [1]
Club | Wins |
---|---|
FC Kansas City | 3 |
North Carolina Courage | 2 |
San Diego Wave FC | 2 |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | 1 |
Seattle Reign FC | 1 |
Utah Royals FC | 1 |
Nationality | Wins |
---|---|
![]() | 9 |
![]() | 1 |
Rebecca Elizabeth Sauerbrunn is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She co-captained the national team with Carli Lloyd from 2016 to 2018 and was the captain of the team from 2021 to 2023.
Leigh Ann Brown is an American former soccer defender. She previously played for FC Kansas City of the National Women's Soccer League, FC Gold Pride, Atlanta Beat, and the Philadelphia Independence of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) and earned two caps with the United States women's national soccer team.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. Headquartered in New York City, it is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federation.
FC Kansas City was an American professional women's soccer club based in Kansas City, Missouri. The team was one of the eight founding clubs of the National Women's Soccer League in 2012, and began play in 2013. They were two-time NWSL champions, having won titles in 2014 and 2015. After the 2017 season, the NWSL re-acquired owner Elam Baer's membership interest and subsequently ceased the team's operations.
The 2013 National Women's Soccer League season was the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), this was the seventh overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league was operated by the United States Soccer Federation and received major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing was provided by the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation. All three national federations paid the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) federation players were players whose salaries for playing in the NWSL were paid for by their respective national federations from 2013 to 2021. American federation players were contracted to the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and not to their respective NWSL clubs, whereas Canadian federation players were contracted directly to their respective NWSL clubs. Federation players were sometimes known as allocated players, allocation players, or subsidized players, which occasionally created confusion with players paid using NWSL allocation money, a mechanism introduced before the 2020 NWSL season.
The 2013 season was FC Kansas City's first season of existence, in which they competed in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top division of women's soccer in the United States.
Lauren Kate Barnes is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Seattle Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She previously played for the Philadelphia Independence in the WPS and represented the United States on the under-15, under-20, and under-23 national teams. As of the end of the 2023 season, she has played the most-ever games and minutes of any NWSL player.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) presents six annual awards to individual players. The Golden Boot award is presented to the top scorer at the end of the regular season, while the Most Valuable Player, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year awards are voted on by various league constituents. As of 2021, these awards are voted upon in two rounds: in the first round, players (50%), owners/general managers/coaches (25%), and media (25%) vote to determine the nominees; in the second round, players (50%), owners/general managers/coaches (20%), media (20%), and fans (10%) vote among the nominees to determine the winners.
The 2015 National Women's Soccer League season was the third season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it was the ninth overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league was operated by the United States Soccer Federation and received major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing was provided by the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation. All three national federations paid the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.
Abigail Lynn Dahlkemper is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
Sarah L. Gorden is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
The 2019 Utah Royals FC season marks the team's second year of existence and its second season in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top division of the American soccer pyramid.
Alana Simone Cook is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for NWSL club Kansas City Current and the United States national team.
Naomi Haile Girma is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
The 2022 San Diego Wave FC season was San Diego Wave FC's inaugural season as a professional women's soccer team. It plays in the National Women's Soccer League.
The National Women's Soccer League Rookie of the Month is a monthly women's soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) participating in their first season as a professional.
The NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award is presented annually to the best goalkeeper in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
The NWSL Rookie of the Year award is presented annually to the best rookie in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
The NWSL Coach of the Year award is presented annually to the best head coach in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).