Louisville FC’s Matt Fondy has been named the 2015 USL Most Valuable Player, the league announced Friday along with its full list of postseason awards.
One of Louisville’s first signings, Fondy had a record-setting season in front of goal in the club’s inaugural season. The 26-year-old former Chivas USA and Chicago Fire forward set a league record with 22 goals in the regular season to lead Louisville to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference; he added two more goals to help the club advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
Fondy was named the USL Player of the Week four times during the regular season and recorded three hat tricks. His highest-scoring game of the season was a league-best four-goal game in Louisville’s 5-1 win against Harrisburg on Aug. 12.
The only award to go to a player on an MLS-operated club was Portland Timbers 2’s Kharlton Belmar, who was named Rookie of the Year after recording 12 goals and four assists in the club’s inaugural season. Belmar was a second-round pick of the Timbers in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft out of Virginia Commonwealth University.
Full list of 2015 USL postseason awards:
Goalkeeper of the Year – Brandon Miller, Rochester Rhinos
Defender of the Year – Bryan Burke, Louisville City FC
Coach of the Year – Bob Lilley, Rochester Rhinos
Rookie of the Year – Kharlton Belmar, Portland Timbers 2
Most Valuable Player – Matt Fondy, Louisville City FC
