all as a starter -- helping the side claim the MLS Supporters' Shield as the top team from the regular season.
A product of Florida International University, Boswell has gone from an undrafted rookie last season to the league's top defensive player in his sophomore campaign. He anchored a stingy D.C. United back line that allowed only 38 goals. Only the Los Angeles Galaxy conceded fewer (37).
Boswell, 23, was a member of the MLS All-Star team that defeated back-to-back English Premier League champions Chelsea FC on Aug. 5. In addition to his defensive prowess, Boswell also chipped in offensively, providing a goal and an assist for D.C. United this season. With good size (6-2, 185 lbs.), agility and a knack for being in the right place at the right time, Boswell has quickly blossomed into a major bright spot for D.C. United and MLS.
After a solid career at FIU, Boswell was not selected in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. However, he was invited to join United in preseason camp and impressed enough to earn a spot on the roster. He went on to make 27 appearances in D.C.'s defense, stepping into the central role that was left open when New Zealand international Ryan Nelsen departed for Blackburn Rovers in England.
Boswell beat out Jose Burciaga, Jr., and Jimmy Conrad - both of the Kansas City Wizards - for the 2006 Defender of the Year title. Burciaga provided K.C. with eight goals and eight assists from his left back position while Conrad, who won the award a year ago, made 15 appearances for the Wizards, missing some time due to national team commitments with the U.S. side at the World Cup and injuries.
The MLS Defender of the Year was determined by equal voting from the media (33.33 percent), MLS players (33.33 percent) and MLS coaches and general managers (33.33 percent). With each voting category representing one-third of the total votes, the formula used for determining the award winners involved assigning 33.33 total points to each category for a possible total of 99.99 points. Therefore if a player received 50 percent of the votes in any of the three voting categories, he would earn 16.67 points (half of 33.33) for that category.
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
