Add U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year to Carli Lloyd's ever-growing list of plaudits.
Having already won Golden Ball and Silver Boot honors at the Women's World Cup this past summer, Lloyd comfortably claimed U.S. Soccer's top individual prize on Wednesday.
Lloyd scored 18 goals in 2015, including six in the knockout stage of the World Cup. She famously steered the United States national team to its third World Cup win by notching a hat trick in the first 16 minutes of the final, scoring her third goal on an audacious strike from midfield as the Americans defeated Japan 5-2.
It's the second Player of the Year honor for the 33-year-old, who also won in 2008.
"It an absolute honor to be named the U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, but when you look at the players nominated this year, it's obvious that all of them were deserving of the award," Lloyd said in a released statement. "I want to thank everyone who voted for me, but more so everyone who supported the team this year, especially at the World Cup, as playing in front of those crowds in Canada was a special experience for all of us.
"Of course, I'm so thankful to my amazing teammates and coaches. We all know any individual award is a product of the team and I'm so proud of how everyone stepped up this year. It took all 23 players and support staff to win the World Cup and it was just fantastic to be a part of it all."
Defender Becky Sauerbrunn finished second in the voting process, which included ballots from national team coaches and staff, players who earned a cap in 2015, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors and U.S. Soccer's Athlete Council, NWSL coaches, select college coaches, and select media members. Goalkeeper Hope Solo and midfielders Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday also were tabbed as nominees for the award.
