Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga won the National Women’s Soccer League’s Most Valuable Player Award for the second straight year Wednesday after leading the league’s top team in goals this season.
Chawinga is the first player to win MVP in consecutive seasons. Although she was sidelined following adductor injury to her right leg in October, Chawinga also won the NWSL’s Golden Boot with 15 goals and three assists over 23 matches.
Six of her 15 goals were game-winners, tying her own record set last year, her first in the league. The 27-year-old tied the league record by scoring in eight straight NWSL regular-season games.
The Ballon d’Or nominee from Malawi became the fastest player to reach 25 regular-season goals in May.
The Current finished the regular season atop the league standings, setting NWSL records with 65 points and 21 wins.
The NWSL 2025 season awards were passed out Wednesday afternoon in San Jose, California, where the Washington Spirit will face Gotham FC in the league championship game on Saturday.
Gotham’s Lilly Reale, named to the U.S. women’s national team roster on Wednesday for its final two games of the year, was named rookie of the year. She played in every match this season for Gotham.
The Spirit’s Tara McKeown won defender of the year, while Kansas City’s Lorena was named goalkeeper of the year. Manaka Matsukubo of the North Carolina Courage was named the midfielder of the year.
Bev Yanez, who led Racing Louisville to its first-ever appearance in the playoffs, won coach of the year honors. The 37-year-old is the first former NWSL player to win the award.
“I’m so grateful for the team — for the team believing in me, trusting in me. I couldn’t be up here without them,” Yanez said.
Sam Hiatt of the Portland Thorns won the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for her work with Candlelighters Oregon, which will receive a $50,000 donation from Nationwide to support children with cancer and their families.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Soccer Writer
