PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced their club awards for the 2017 Major League Soccer season. In total, eight major awards were announced as the club recognized achievements, performances and moments from the team’s 2017 season.
Additionally, the Timbers and Portland Thorns FC announced the award recipients from their respective developmental programs, recognizing coaches and players from the Academy, Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) and youth camp programs.
Players’ Player of the Year – Diego Valeri
Voted on by the players, the 2017 Players’ Player of the Year was awarded to midfielder Diego Valeri. In his fifth season with the club, Valeri recorded double-digit goals and assists for the fourth time in five MLS seasons with Portland, recording a team-high 21 goals and 11 assists in 32 regular-season appearances (32 starts). The recognition marks the second time Valeri has been named Players’ Player of the Year, with the midfielder previously earning the honor in 2014.
Supporters’ Player of the Year – Diego Valeri
Voted on by the supporters and presented at the regular-season home finale on Oct. 22, Diego Valeri was named Supporters’ Player of the Year for a second consecutive season and the third time in the last four seasons. During the 2017 campaign, Valeri recorded the most combined goals and assists (32) in the league, while also becoming the second player in MLS history to record 20 or more goals and 10 or more assists in the same season. Additionally, Valeri extended his MLS career goal-scoring tally to 58 league goals, which ranks as the most in club history across all eras (since 1975).
Golden Boot – Diego Valeri
Diego Valeri was awarded the Golden Boot as the club’s leading goal-scorer in 2017, marking the third time in the last five seasons the midfielder has led the team in goals scored. Valeri, who recorded 21 goals in 32 regular-season games, set an MLS record for goals by a midfielder in a single season, surpassing the previous mark by three goals. Valeri also set a new league record for consecutive regular-season games (9) with a goal – two more games than the previous record – scoring 10 goals from July 29-Sept. 24 to help guide the Timbers to a 5-2-2 record during the final stretch of the season.
Unsung Hero – Roy Miller
In his first season with the club, the 33-year-old defender appeared in 26 matches (26 starts) for the Timbers. Playing multiple positions across Portland’s backline, Miller extended his career tally to 151 regular-season appearances (140 starts), ranking in the top 10 for appearances on the team, while also recording his first career MLS goal with a finish in the team’s 3-1 win against the Philadelphia Union on April 8.
Play of the Year – Darlington Nagbe’s chip Aug. 23 against Colorado Rapids
The 2017 Timbers’ Play of the Year was awarded to Darlington Nagbe for his tight-angled chip in the Timbers’ 2-1 win against the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 23. Nominated for the 2017 AT&T MLS Goal of the Year, Nagbe’s finish provided the game-winning goal for Portland in the 2-1 win against the Rapids, with the midfielder curling his effort from the far left side of the box past goalkeeper Tim Howard and into the upper right corner to record his third goal of the season.
Defender of the Year – Diego Chara
Diego Chara was awarded the team’s Defender of the Year award for a second straight season. Playing in 29 games (29 starts) this season, Chara tallied a team-high 101 tackles, ranking as the fifth-most in MLS in 2017. Additionally, Chara won the fifth-most tackles (73) in MLS in 2017, winning 73 percent of his tackles.
Up-and-Coming Player of the Year – Jeremy Ebobisse
Jeremy Ebobisse, 20, was named the Timbers Up-and-Coming Player of the Year for 2017. Playing in his first season with the Timbers after being selected as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, Ebobisse made 14 regular-season appearances (2 starts) for Portland during his rookie season, recording one goal and three assists. Earning his first professional start in an away match against Cascadia-rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 23, Ebobbise recorded his first career MLS goal and an assist in 78 minutes played in a decisive 2-1 win for the Timbers. Ebobisse also made two postseason appearances in 2017, playing 108 minutes in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Houston Dynamo.
Community MVP – Diego Valeri
Presented during the club’s annual Stand Together Banquet in October, the Timbers Community MVP was awarded to Diego Valeri, who was an integral part of the Timbers’ efforts in the community during the 2017 season. Valeri supported natural disaster relief efforts both locally and nationally, assisted with a visitation room for foster care children, and helped to unveil new futsal courts. Valeri also participated in bilingual reading events and numerous postgame meet-and-greets with the Children’s Cancer Association and Special Olympics Oregon.
Timbers Academy Player of the Year (2016-17) – Jacob Montes
Timbers ODP Boys Coach of the Year – Jimmi Ulloa
Timbers ODP Boys Player of the Year – Diego Elizalde
Thorns FC ODP Girls Coach of the Year – Simon Date
Thorns FC ODP Girls Player of the Year – Citlaly Soto
Timbers Camp Boys Coach of the Year – Nick Rooney
Timbers Camp Girls Coach of the Year – Natalie Hall
Portland Timbers Club Award Winners
Players’ Player of the Year
2017: Diego Valeri
2016: Diego Chara
2015: Diego Chara
2014: Diego Valeri
2013: Darlington Nagbe
2012: Diego Chara
2011: Jack Jewsbury
Supporters’ Player of the Year
2017: Diego Valeri
2016: Diego Valeri
2015: Diego Chara
2014: Diego Valeri
2013: Will Johnson
2012: Diego Chara
2011: Troy Perkins
Golden Boot
2017: Diego Valeri (21 goals)
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
2017: Roy Miller
2016: Jack Jewsbury
2015: Nat Borchers
2014: Diego Chara
2013: Jack Jewsbury
2012: Eric Alexander
Play of the Year
2017: Darlington Nagbe’s chip Aug. 23 vs. Colorado
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
2017: Diego Chara
2016: Diego Chara
2015: Liam Ridgewell
2014: Liam Ridgewell
2013: Donovan Ricketts
Up-and-Coming Player of the Year
2017: Jeremy Ebobisse
2016: Jack Barmby
2015: George Fochive
2014: Alvas Powell
2013: Alvas Powell
2012: Brent Richards
2011: Kalif Alhassan
Community MVP
2017: Diego Valeri
2016: Zarek Valentin
2015: Adam Kwarasey
2014: Diego Chara
2013: Steven Evans
2012: David Horst
2011: Jake Gleeson
Timbers Academy Player of the Year
2017: Jacob Montes
2016: Marco Farfan
2015: Terrell Lowe
2014: Jesse Garcia-Aguilar
2013: Foster Langsdorf
Timbers ODP Boys Coach of the Year
2017: Jimmi Ulloa
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
2017: Diego Elizalde
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
2017: Simon Date
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
2017: Citlaly Soto
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
2017: Nick Rooney
2016: Anthony Pagano
2015: Max von Rabenau
2014: Luis Silva-Lara
2013: Fabio Rodriguez
2012: Sabi Sudy
Timbers Camp Girls Coach of the Year
2017: Natalie Hall
2016: Laura Sullivan
2015: Rayssa Lira
