U.S. SOCCER ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2024 EXTENDED NATIONAL TEAMS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS, CELEBRATING INCLUSIVITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
Beach WNT’s Hannah Adler, Futsal MNT’s Luciano Gonzalez and Power NT’s Riley Johnson Earn Second-Straight Awards While Five Players Earn First Player of the Year Honors
CHICAGO (Jan. 15, 2025) – As part of U.S. Soccer’s continued efforts to celebrate the game in all its forms and promote inclusivity and accessibility for all, the Federation today announced the eight winners of the Extended National Teams’ 2024 Player of the Year awards.
The 2024 Extended National Team Player of the Year winners are:
- Hannah Adler (Santa Barbara, Calif.) - Female Beach Soccer Player of the Year
- Antonio Chavez (Oceanside, Calif.) - Male Beach Soccer Player of the Year
- Luciano Gonzalez (Stratford, N.J.) – Male Futsal Player of the Year
- Cassidy Leake (Murietta, Calif.) - Female Cerebral Palsy Player of the Year
- Jacob Crumbley (Fortson, Ga.) - Male Cerebral Palsy Player of the Year
- Sydney Andrews (Wichita, Kan.) - Female Deaf Player of the Year
- Kevin Fitzpatrick (Hopatcong, N.J.) - Male Deaf Player of the Year
- Riley Johnson (St. Cloud, Minn.) - Power Soccer Player of the Year
Five of the eight Players of the Year are first-time winners, with the Beach WNT’s Hannah Adler, Futsal MNT’s Luciano Gonzalez and Power Soccer NT’s Riley Johnson winning their respective honors for a second-straight year.
"This time of year is always special as it allows us to shine a spotlight on the remarkable individual achievements within our teams," said Stuart Sharp, Head of Technical for U.S. Soccer’s Extended National Teams. "While we consistently foster a team-first mentality, it's important to recognize these particular top-performing players’ dedication and impact on team performances. The depth and quality within our player pools continue to grow and we’re excited to see what these players and their teammates can accomplish in 2025.”
The 2024 Extended National Teams Player of the Year winners were determined via a weighted vote that took place from December 17-31, 2024. Votes were weighted as follows:
- 45 percent - Athletes that earned a cap for their respective national team during 2024
- 40 percent - Coaches, Support Staff, U.S. Soccer Athlete Council and Board of Directors
- 15 percent - Online fan vote
Hannah Adler – Female Beach Soccer Player of the Year
A former professional player who appeared in the UEFA Champions League with Danish side HB Køge and domestically for the NWSL’s Racing Louisville, Hannah Adler (Santa Barbara, Calif.) claims her second-straight Female Beach Soccer Player of the Year in her second year with the Beach WNT.
Adler appeared in all six matches, finishing tied for second on the team with five goals to go along with two assists. The striker scored in four consecutive matches, beginning with her goal in the 9-0 victory against the Bahamas to help the USA claim the El Salvador Beach Soccer Cup on March 29. Adler also registered a goal and assist in the 4-2 loss to Spain (Dec. 13), another goal and assist in the 4-0 win against Mexico (Dec. 14) and her third career brace in the 6-4 win against Costa Rica on Dec. 15 to help the Beach WNT earn second place at the Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup.
“I feel incredibly honored to receive this award for the second year in a row,” Adler said. “Wearing the U.S. Soccer crest has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl, so I am unbelievably grateful to play a role on this team and contribute to its success. I cannot thank the staff and my teammates enough for their unwavering support. The sky is the limit when you are in an environment where everyone genuinely believes in each other and pushes one another to be the best versions of themselves, on-and-off the field. The U.S. Women’s Beach Soccer National Team is truly special and I am excited to reach new heights with this group in 2025!”
The second player to win Female Beach Soccer Player of the Year since its establishment in 2021, Adler earned 44 percent of the weighted vote.
Antonio Chavez – Male Beach Soccer Player of the Year
One of four players to appear in all 12 matches, Antonio Chavez (Oceanside, Calif.) contributed a balanced four goals and four assists to tie Tanner Akol and Cody Valcarcel for the team lead with eight overall goal contributions. The defender started the year by providing an assist in the 6-3 defeat to hosts Brazil at the Maranhao International Cup on Jan. 12. On March 29, he provided an assist to Alvaro Franco before his free kick midway through the second period pushed the USA to a dramatic 5-4 victory against the hosts at the 2024 El Salvador Beach Soccer Cup. The following day, he dished another assist to Akol in the 5-4 loss to Morocco. He then closed out 2024 as one of the team’s top performers at the Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup, registering his second career brace and playing provider to Andres Navas in the team’s 8-7 extra time loss to No. 5-ranked Spain on Dec. 13. Chavez capped his year with a bicycle kick to close the scoring in the USA’s 6-4 win against rivals Mexico to earn third place in Acapulco on Dec. 15.
“I am so grateful to all of the family, friends, and community members who made it clear that they are loud and proud of me,” Chavez said. “It can sometimes be easy to lose sight of the big picture and become complacent, but when you see your community and your people cheer you on, the picture becomes clear again. It’s an honor to play for the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team and this award only reminds me that I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to have in my corner. I also wouldn’t be able to perform at my best without my teammates who are deserving of this recognition as well.”
Chavez is the third player to earn Male Beach Soccer Player of the Year since its establishment in 2021 and won the award with 58 percent of the weighted vote.
Luciano Gonzalez – Futsal Player of the Year
Luciano Gonzalez (Mendoza, Argentina and Stratford, N.J.) earns his second Male Futsal Player of the Year award. Gonzalez started all four matches at the 2024 Concacaf Futsal Championship, tallying two goals and two assists in Nicaragua. The veteran fixo collected two assists in the 7-4 tournament-opening win against Trinidad and Tobago on April 13, including the helper on Nicholas Lopez’s game winner with eight minutes remaining in the second half. He also scored with five seconds left in the first half of the 7-6 loss to the Dominican Republic on April 14, before tallying the opening goal in the 3-3 draw with Guatemala on April 15.
“I am thrilled to receive this recognition for the second time,” Gonzalez said. “This award gives me more motivation to keep working hard, to be ready and prepare for every single camp and international competition with this team. It’s an honor that many players would dream of, and it gives me more responsibility to demonstrate to young players the right ways to achieve any goal. Finally, I’m thankful to my teammates on the U.S. Men’s Futsal National Team, because without them, none of this is possible.”
Gonzalez is the first two-time winner of the Male Futsal Player of the Year since its establishment in 2021 and earned the award with 44 percent of the weighted vote.
With the U.S. Women’s Futsal National Team set to begin play this year, U.S. Soccer will begin awarding Female Futsal Player of the Year in 2025.
Cassidy Leake – Female Cerebral Palsy Player of the Year
Cassidy Leake (Murietta, Calif.) wins her first Female Cerebral Palsy Player of the Year honor on the back of leading the CP WNT in scoring with 14 goals to go along with three assists across seven appearances in 2024. The midfielder scored in six of seven matches, and had five multi-goal games. She began her production with two goals and an assist in the 6-2 friendly win against Ireland on Sept. 28, and followed it with back-to-back hat tricks, scoring three goals against Denmark on Sept. 29 and against Ireland in the IFCPF World Cup opener on Nov. 15. Leake, who captained the USA in five of her seven appearances, went on to bag another brace against Denmark on Nov. 17, collected her third hat trick the following day against Japan, and scored one of the USA’s two goals in the 6-2 loss to Australia in the World Cup Final.
“I wish I could tell baby me, ‘Keep dreaming big, because one day we’d make it,’” Leake said. “More than 20 years of blood, sweat and tears have led to this moment, and I’m just feeling so thankful. None of this would have been possible without my incredible teammates, coaches, trainers, and of course, my family. To anyone out there dreaming big dreams that only they believe in—keep going.”
The second individual to claim Female CP Player of the Year since its launch in 2022, Leake won the honor with 60 percent of the weighted vote.
Jacob Crumbley – Male Cerebral Palsy Player of the Year
A member of the CP MNT since 2018, Jacob Crumbley (Fortson, Ga.) showed his versatility around the pitch, playing forward, goalkeeper, full back and central midfield all in 2024. One of three players to appear in all eight matches, Crumbley’s five goals and eight overall goal contributions saw him finish the year tied for the team lead in both categories, and also lead the CP MNT in scoring at the IFCPF World Cup. After recording an assist in the 3-0 friendly win against Scotland in September, Crumbley had a milestone match in the World Cup opener when he bagged two goals and an assist in the 5-0 victory against Australia. Crumbley was slotted into emergency goalkeeper duty in the next match against the Netherlands, before going on to record one of the two USA goals in the Placement Match against Argentina. The Georgia product also led the comeback in the final Placement Match against Germany, scoring a 56th minute equalizer to make it 2-2 and providing the assist on the go-ahead goal from Gavin Kohner, before scoring the eventual game-winner in the 64th minute of the 4-3 win to claim seventh place.
“It’s such an incredible honor to receive this award,” Crumbley said. “I want to thank the good Lord for blessing me with an amazing family, team and coach who push me to be the best I can be. I’m excited to get to the new National Training Center in Atlanta and put in the work for years to come.”
The third different player to win Male CP Player of the Year since its establishment in 2022, Crumbley claimed the award with 59 percent of the weighted vote.
Sydney Andrews – Female Deaf Player of the Year
A 12-year veteran of the Deaf WNT, Sydney Andrews (Wichita, Kan.) finished the year as one of two players to play all 270 minutes for the USA and collected an assist on Ani Khachadourian’s eighth minute goal in the 11-0 win against Australia on June 1. An unsung hero for the past decade, Andrews has been key to denying opponent goal scoring opportunities on the field, while maintaining the culture and uplifting newcomers to the National Team. The veteran center back’s ability to direct the back line, defend to the death and provide a calm and collective atmosphere in pressure situations proved key in the Deaf WNT conceding just one goal in 2024. A true connector and collaborator amongst players and staff, Andrews has been the glue that helps keep the team moving in one direction as a unit.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award and I’m filled with immense gratitude for the opportunities that this beautiful game has given to me,” Andrews said. “It has been the joy of my life to play alongside some of the most courageous, empowering, impactful individuals I’ve ever met - together we continue to push for inclusivity and accessibility so that ALL may play. Thank you to everyone who has helped turn my dreams into reality.”
Andrews is the second winner of the Female Deaf Player of the Year since the award’s establishment in 2023, and earned the honor with 59 percent of the weighted vote.
Kevin Fitzpatrick – Male Deaf Player of the Year
Veteran defender Kevin Fitzpatrick (Hopatcong, N.J.) started all three matches for the U.S. at the Deaf Pan American Games, playing 300 minutes while helping the USA keep shutouts in two of three matches. Fitzpatrick collected an assist in the 4-0 win against Mexico to claim the bronze medal and qualify for the 2025 Deaflympics and 2026 World Deaf Football Championship. A leader both on–and-off the field, Fitzpatrick established a strong standard for his teammates and contributed significantly to the team's defensive mentality, helping to enhance their defensive performance. He also seized opportunities to contribute offensively, providing an assist during the event.
“It means a lot to me to be able to wear the crest and represent my country and so it’s such an honor to win this award,” Fitzpatrick said. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the endless support from my Deaf MNT teammates, coaching staff, friends, and family who continually challenge me on–and-off the field to be the player and person I am today.”
Fitzpatrick, who won 45 percent of the weighted vote, is the second winner of the Male Deaf Player of the Year following the award’s establishment in 2023.
Riley Johnson – Power Soccer Player of the Year
Co-captain of the U.S. side at the 2023 FIPFA Powerchair Football World Cup, Riley Johnson (Saint Cloud, Minn.) wins his second-straight Power Soccer Player of the Year honor. Johnson helped lead his club team Minnesota Shockwave to a fourth consecutive USPSA Premier Cup Championship, won the Golden Guard award as the tournament’s top scorer with 11 goals and seven assists in seven matches, also scoring two of the team’s three goals in the final. A co-captain of the Power NT, Johnson attended all Power Soccer National Team training camps in 2024.
Johnson also continues to represent the team well away from camps, helping to establish the Drew Cunningham Mentorship Program, which is named after the former U.S. Power Soccer National Team athlete who passed away in 2023. Launched in concert with USPNT teammate Peyton Sefick and former player Tyler Hernandez, the annual award pairs a committee-selected athlete under 16 years of age with a mentor from the USPNT to support and accelerate the athlete’s path to the National Team. At the grassroots level, Johnson led instruction at USPSA’s Power Soccer Camp for the fourth time last August, and also oversaw two Power Soccer Introduction Clinics in North Carolina and Ohio with the purpose of starting new teams in areas that do not currently have Power Soccer.
Additionally, Johnson, who is a mechanical engineer, leaned on his experiences in Power Soccer to deliver a powerful TEDTalk, titled “Why We Can’t Predict a Person’s True Potential.”
“I'm very honored to receive this award,” Johnson said. “Being surrounded by the top-quality athletes on the U.S. Power Soccer National Team has pushed me to become a better player, leader and teammate. I wouldn't be where I am today without the level that my teammates and coaches bring. I hope athletes that aspire to be on a National Team recognize the positive influence it can have on your life. I will forever be grateful for being a part of this family.”
Johnson claims his second Power Soccer Player of the Year award with 41 percent of the weighted vote.
