Huckerby, Yallop Named Finalists for MLS End of Season Awards

SAN JOSE, Calif. --
Two members of the San Jose Earthquakes are in the running for Major League Soccer year-end awards. Head coach Frank Yallop is a finalist for MLS Coach of the Year, while Darren Huckerby is a finalist for MLS Newcomer of the Year. The winners of the awards will be announced on November 11.

Yallop is seeking his second Coach of the Year honor after winning the award in 2001 when he led San Jose to its first MLS Cup Championship. Yallop led San Jose to one of the best expansion seasons in league history. The Quakes finished the year with eight wins and 33 points, exceeding the totals of the past three expansion entrants, Real Salt Lake, Chivas USA and Toronto FC. The team also posted the longest unbeaten streak in the league in 2008, a nine-game unbeaten run that put them back into the playoff hunt. Under Yallop, the team allowed just 38 goals, the fourth-best defensive record in MLS this season.

Huckerby joined the Earthquakes July 14 when the team acquired his rights from Toronto FC. The former Norwich City star immediately made an impact on the field scoring in his first two home matches. He has scored six goals and notched four assists in 13 games with the Quakes making him the team leader in goals scored. He also scored game-winning goals against the Kansas City Wizards on Aug. 30 and D.C. United on Sept. 6. After an outstanding performance in September he was named Major League Soccer Player of the Month, scoring three goals and notching one assist in the month. In Huckerby's first eight matches with the team, the Quakes posted a 4-0-4 record, part of the Quakes league-high nine-game unbeaten streak. Huckerby wins the Budweiser Golden Boot award after scoring six goals one more than Ryan Johnson.

A complete list of the finalists for MLS awards follows:

2008 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists

Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Jon Busch - Chicago Fire
William Hesmer - Columbus Crew
Matt Reis - New England Revolution

Fair Play Finalists - Individual
Juan Pablo Angel - New York Red Bulls
Michael Parkhurst - New England Revolution
Chris Rolfe - Chicago Fire

MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Jon Busch - Chicago Fire
Kenny Cooper - FC Dallas
Santino Quaranta - D.C. United

Visa Defender of the Year Finalists
Jimmy Conrad - Kansas City Wizards
Chad Marshall - Columbus Crew
Bakary Soumare - Chicago Fire

adidas Referee of the Year Finalists
Michael Kennedy
Jair Marrufo
Terry Vaughn

Gatorade Rookie of the Year Finalists
Geoff Cameron - Houston Dynamo
Kheli Dube - New England Revolution
Sean Franklin - Los Angeles Galaxy

MLS Coach of the Year Finalists
Dominic Kinnear - Houston Dynamo
Sigi Schmid - Columbus Crew
Frank Yallop - San Jose Earthquakes

Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
Cuauhtémoc Blanco - Chicago Fire
Landon Donovan - Los Angeles Galaxy
Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Columbus Crew

Newcomer of the Year
Darren Huckerby - San Jose Earthquakes
Claudio Lopez - Kansas City Wizards
Andre Rocha - FC Dallas