PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced their club awards for the 2016 Major League Soccer season. In total, eight major awards were announced as the club recognized achievements, performances and moments from the team’s 2016 season.
Additionally, the Timbers and Portland Thorns FC announced the award recipients from their respective developmental programs, recognizing coaches and players from the Academy, U-23s, Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) and youth camp programs.
Players’ Player of the Year – Diego Chara
Voted on by the players, the 2016 Players’ Player of the Year was awarded to midfielder Diego Chara. In his sixth season with the club, Chara started and played 90 minutes in 27 of his 30 regular-season appearances, including an 11-game stretch from March 6 to May 11, logging the third-most minutes (2,600) on the team, behind only forward Fanendo Adi and midfielder Diego Valeri. The recognition marks the third time Chara has won Players’ Player of the Year in six seasons with the club.
Supporters’ Player of the Year – Diego Valeri
Voted on by the supporters and presented at the regular-season home finale on Oct. 16, Diego Valeri was named Supporters’ Player of the Year for the second time sincejoining Portland in 2013. In his fourth season with the Timbers, Valeri recorded a career-high 14 goals, while recording a team-high seven assists. In 30 games played (30 starts) in 2016, Valeri ranked second in MLS for chances created (89), averaging 2.9 chances created per game. Additionally, Valeri’s goal and assist tally in 2016 propelled the midfielder into the top five for points, goals and assists in club history across all eras (since 1975).
Golden Boot – Fanendo Adi
Fanendo Adi was awarded the Golden Boot as the club’s leading goal-scorer in 2016, marking the second consecutive season the forward has led the team in goals scored. Adi, who recorded 16 goals in 33 games played (30 starts) in 2016, matched his regular-season tally from the 2015 MLS campaign, with his 16 finishes ranking as a club record during the Timbers’ MLS era. Ranking third for goals scored in Timbers history across all eras (since 1975), Adi became the third player in MLS history to record consecutive 16-goal seasons before the age of 27 in 2016.
Unsung Hero – Jack Jewsbury
In his final season in MLS, Jack Jewsbury appeared in 23 matches (17 starts), extending his career tally to 352 games played. One of only 10 players in league history to record 350 appearances or more, the 35-year-old midfielder recorded 11 consecutive starts over the final stretch of the season from Aug. 7 to Oct. 23, scoring one goal while logging 90 minutes in nine of those matches. Winning his second Unsung Hero award with Portland, Jewsbury retires ranked fourth for games played (157), eighth for assists (17) and 16th for total points (45) in club history across all eras (since 1975).
Play of the Year – Diego Valeri’s chip July 17 against Seattle Sounders FC
The 2016 Timbers’ Play of the Year was awarded to Diego Valeri for his tight-angled chip in the Timbers’ 3-1 win against Seattle Sounders FC on July 17. Nominated for the 2016 AT&T MLS Goal of the Year, Valeri’s finish marked his second of the game against Seattle, extending the Timbers’ lead in a 3-1 win at Providence Park over their Cascadia rival, with the midfielder chipping goalkeeper Stefan Frei from the far right side of the box, rattling his effort off the far post and into the back of the net.
Defender of the Year – Diego Chara
Diego Chara was awarded the team’s Defender of the Year award for the first time in his career in 2016. Ranking tied for the most starts (30) on the team this season, Chara tallied a team-high 111 tackles, ranking as the third-most in MLS in 2016. Additionally, Chara won the third-most tackles (80) in MLS in 2016, winning 72 percent of his tackles.
Up-and-Coming Player of the Year – Jack Barmby
Jack Barmby, 21, was named the Timbers Up-and-Coming Player of the Year for 2016. Playing in his first season with the Timbers, Barmby made his MLS regular-season debut on April 3, starting and playing 90 minutes against Orlando City SC. In his third appearance with the Timbers, Barmby scored the team’s lone goal in a 1-1 draw against the New England Revolution on April 27. During the 2016 season, Barmby played in 19 games (2 starts) in regular-season play, ranking tied with midfielder Ned Grabavoy for the most substitute appearances on the team (17).
Community MVP – Zarek Valentin
Presented during the club’s annual Stand Together Banquet in September, the Timbers Community MVP was awarded to Zarek Valentin, who was an integral part of the Timbers’ efforts in the community during the 2016 season. Taking an active role in the community through the club’s Stand Together platform, Valentin hosted bilingual reading assemblies at local schools, inspired Special Olympics athletes at the Unified Sports exchange program, joined soccer camp participants to talk about the importance of leading healthy, active lifestyles, and much more.
Timbers Academy Player of the Year (2015-16) – Marco Farfan
Timbers U-23s Player of the Year – Max Ornstil
Timbers ODP Boys Coach of the Year – Chris Thurley
Timbers ODP Boys Player of the Year – Andre Saucedo-Avila
Thorns FC ODP Girls Coach of the Year – Jennifer Hull
Thorns FC ODP Girls Player of the Year – Paige Alexander
Timbers Camp Boys Coach of the Year – Anthony Pagano
Timbers Camp Girls Coach of the Year – Laura Sullivan
Portland Timbers Club Award Winners
Players’ Player of the Year
2016: Diego Chara
2015: Diego Chara
2014: Diego Valeri
2013: Darlington Nagbe
2012: Diego Chara
2011: Jack Jewsbury
Supporters’ Player of the Year
2016: Diego Valeri
2015: Diego Chara
2014: Diego Valeri
2013: Will Johnson
2012: Diego Chara
2011: Troy Perkins
Golden Boot
2016: Fanendo Adi (16 goals)
2015: Fanendo Adi (16 goals)
2014: Diego Valeri (11 goals)
2013: Diego Valeri (10 goals)
2012: Kris Boyd (7 goals)
2011: Kenny Cooper (8 goals)
Unsung Hero
2016: Jack Jewsbury
2015: Nat Borchers
2014: Diego Chara
2013: Jack Jewsbury
2012: Eric Alexander
Play of the Year
2016: Diego Valeri’s chip July 17 vs. Seattle
2015: Timbers lifting MLS Cup Dec. 6 at Columbus
2014: Diego Valeri’s volley Sept. 20 vs. Vancouver
2013: Darlington Nagbe’s turnaround, game-winning goal June 15 vs. FC Dallas.
2012: Jack Jewsbury’s game-winner Oct. 21 at Vancouver
2011: Darlington Nagbe’s juggling volley July 2 vs. Sporting KC
Defender of the Year
2016: Diego Chara
2015: Liam Ridgewell
2014: Liam Ridgewell
2013: Donovan Ricketts
Up-and-Coming Player of the Year
2016: Jack Barmby
2015: George Fochive
2014: Alvas Powell
2013: Alvas Powell
2012: Brent Richards
2011: Kalif Alhassan
Community MVP
2016: Zarek Valentin
2015: Adam Kwarasey
2014: Diego Chara
2013: Steven Evans
2012: David Horst
2011: Jake Gleeson
Timbers Academy Player of the Year
2016: Marco Farfan
2015: Terrell Lowe
2014: Jesse Garcia-Aguilar
2013: Foster Langsdorf
Timbers U-23s Player of the Year
2016: Max Ornstil
2015: Todd Wharton
2014: Kharlton Belmar
2013: Bryan Gallego
2012: Steven Evans
2011: Brent Richards
Timbers ODP Boys Coach of the Year
2016: Chris Thurley
2015: Dave Peterson
2014: Brett Jacobs
2013: Sorin Popovici
2012: Oscar Monteblanco
2011: Joe Sottile
Timbers ODP Boys Player of the Year
2016: Andre Saucedo-Avila
2015: Nico Lopez
2014: Adrian Villegas
2013: Kevyn Lo
2012: Jose Benavides
2011: Rubio Rubin
Thorns FC ODP Girls Coach of the Year
2016: Jennifer Hull
2015: Keith Bleyer
2014: Kevin Plechl
2013: Rochelle Hearns
2012: Janine Sparza
2011: Mac Wilson
Thorns FC ODP Girls Player of the Year
2016: Paige Alexander
2015: Katie Duong
2014: Katie Duong
2013: Sarah Jean Edwards
2012: Adrianna Hudson
2011: Ellie Boon
Timbers Camp Boys Coach of the Year
2016: Anthony Pagano
2015: Max von Rabenau
2014: Luis Silva-Lara
2013: Fabio Rodriguez
2012: Sabi Sudy
Timbers Camp Girls Coach of the Year
2016: Laura Sullivan
2015: Rayssa Lira
