Nashville SC announce 2022 team awards

NASHVILLE, TN – On Thursday, Nashville SC announced their team awards for the 2022 season.

Currently in fourth place in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference with just two games left in the regular season, the Coyotes are set for their third consecutive playoff appearance, with a chance to host a home playoff game in each of their first three years in MLS.

TEAM MVP – Hany Mukhtar

Not a surprise here. The German is the frontrunner for the league MVP award, leading the golden boot race with 23 goals. His 34 goal contributions are a staggering 68% of Nashville’s total in 2022. There’s no player in MLS more valuable to their team than Hany Mukhtar.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Hany Mukhtar

Again, not a surprise. Mukhtar is the best attacker in the league, let alone on Nashville. He’s scored 26 goals in all competitions this season. The next closest Nashville player is C.J. Sapong with just six. Mukhtar has carried this team offensively all year.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Walker Zimmerman

Zimmerman signed a new contract with Nashville this season, making him just the second American center back to become a designated player (the first was Sporting KC’s Matt Besler, whose own rise at the club and national team level has plenty of parallels with Zimmerman’s).

Zimmerman has played 28 of Nashville’s 32 matches this season, scoring three goals and leading Nashville to the fifth-best defensive record in MLS with just 1.2 goals conceded per match. Zimmerman has also turned into a mainstay for the U.S. National Team, playing in 10 matches in World Cup qualifying. He looks set to play a crucial role for the U.S. in the World Cup this November.

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – Sean Davis

Davis signed with Nashville as one of the top free agent pickups of the offseason. The 29-year-old came to Music City after seven years with New York Red Bulls, wearing the captain’s armband and playing every minute of the 2021 season.

In Nashville, Davis has become a core part of Nashville’s squad. He’s appeared in all 32 MLS matches and leads the team with 2,883 minutes. He’s formed a strong partnership with former Red Bulls teammate Dax McCarty in midfield, starting 17 matches together.

GOAL OF THE YEAR – Alex Muyl vs CF Montréal

Alex Muyl’s strike against CF Montréal earned Nashville SC’s vote for best goal of the season. We’ll let the tape speak for itself.

HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR – Taylor Washington

Again, this won’t surprise anyone who follows this team closely. Taylor Washington has been deeply involved with the Nashville community since arriving in Music City as one of the first signings for their USL squad back in 2018.

In 2022, he served as an ambassador for Nashville’s Special Olympics Unified Team, as well as working with the club for their Kick Childhood Cancer campaign. Washington also volunteers at a local food kitchen.

Watch out for Broadway Sports‘s end-of-year awards at the end of the season, where you’ll have a chance to vote for the winners.

Author: Ben Wrightis the Director of Soccer Content and a Senior MLS Contributor for Broadway Sports covering Nashville SC and the US National Team. Previously Ben was the editor and a founder of Speedway Soccer, where he has covered Nashville SC and their time in USL before journeying to Major League Soccer since 2018. Raised in Louisville, KY Ben grew up playing before a knee injury ended his competitive career. When he is not talking soccer he is probably producing music, drinking coffee or hanging out with his wife and kids. Mastodon

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