Nashville SC’s Walker Zimmerman voted MLS Defender of the Year

Major League Soccer announced Wednesday that Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman has been voted 2020 MLS Defender of the Year.

Signed from LAFC before the season for a league-record $1.25 million, Zimmerman anchored a Nashville backline that conceded just 22 goals, the best tally of any expansion team through 23 matches. Nashville finished the season with the third-best defense in MLS, and the solidity that Zimmerman brought to their backline was a key reason they became just the sixth expansion team to qualify for the playoffs.

Zimmerman was also productive on the other end of the field, scoring three goals and adding an assist, including Nashville’s first-ever goal in MLS during their debut against Atlanta United back in February.

Zimmerman finished with 28.37% of the total vote.

Walker Zimmerman and Nashville SC take on Inter Miami CF on Friday night in the first playoff match in their MLS history.

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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