The NWSL has announced the finalists for the league’s 2025 End-of-Year Awards. Nominations include categories for Most Valuable Player, as well as the best defender, midfielder, goalkeeper, rookie, and coach of the year.
The MVP finalists are Delphine Cascarino of the San Diego Wave, Esther González of Gotham FC, Manaka Matsukubo of the North Carolina Courage, and Temwa Chawinga and Bia Zaneratto of the Kansas City Current.
Shield winners Kansas City notched more nominations than any other team, with seven players and coach Vlatko Andonovski up for various awards. Gotham FC and Seattle Reign each had three players nominated for awards.
Two San Diego players were named, while the Washington Spirit had a player and coach Adrián González nominated. North Carolina’s only nominated player was Manaka, who is up for Midfielder of the Year as well as MVP, despite having played most of the year as a forward. The Houston Dash, Portland Thorns, Angel City, and Racing Louisville each nabbed one nomination.
The finalists were determined by a preliminary round of voting in which players’ votes counted for 50%, votes by members of the media counted for 25%, and owners, coaches, and general managers finished out the last 25%. Those parties as well as fans will cast votes to determine the winners for individual awards and Best XI first and second teams.
Notable contenders left off the list include Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer, Portland midfielder Sam Coffey, Louisville midfielder Taylor Flint, Gotham midfielder Jaelin Howell, Washington forward Gift Monday, Louisville forward Emma Sears, and Gotham defender Emily Sonnett.
Last year’s winners were Chawinga for MVP, Emily Sams for Defender of the Year, Croix Bethune for both Midfielder and Rookie of the year, Ann-Katrin Berger for Goalkeeper of the Year, and Seb Hines for Coach of the Year.
The winners will be announced at a live ceremony in San Jose. The event, which will take place on November 19 at 5:30 p.m. ET, and will air on ESPN2.
The full list of 2025 finalists is below:
Most Valuable Player
- Delphine Cascarino (SD)
- Temwa Chawinga (KC)
- Esther González (GFC)
- Manaka Matsukubo (NC)
- Bia Zaneratto (KC)
Defender of the Year
- Jordyn Bugg (SEA)
- Tara McKeown (WAS)
- Avery Patterson (HOU)
- Izzy Rodriguez (KC)
- Kayla Sharples (KC)
Midfielder of the Year
- Kenza Dali (SD)
- Debinha (KC)
- Claire Hutton (KC)
- Manaka Matsukubo (NC)
- Olivia Moultrie (POR)
Goalkeeper of the Year
- Ann-Katrin Berger (GFC)
- Claudia Dickey (SEA)
- Lorena (KC)
Rookie of the Year
- Maddie Dahlien (SEA)
- Lilly Reale (GFC)
- Riley Tiernan (LA)
Coach of the Year
- Vlatko Andonovski (KC)
- Adrián González (WAS)
- Beverly Yanez (LOU)
