COLUMBUS — In conjunction with Major League Soccer, Columbus Crew SC today announced that goalkeeper Zack Steffen, midfielder Wil Trapp and forward Gyasi Zardes have been named finalists for prominent Major League Soccer full-season awards. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen was named a finalist for the MLS Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year award. Similarly, Captain and midfielder Wil Trapp was named a finalist for the MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year presented by AdvoCare honor. Additionally, forward Gyasi Zardes was named a finalist for the MLS Comeback Player of the Year award.
Currently in his third season with Crew SC, Zack Steffen made 29 regular-season appearances in 2018, posting 10 shutouts – tied for second-most in a single regular-season by a Crew SC goalkeeper – and making his first MLS All-Star appearance. Steffen was also voted to MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Week following his performance during Week 11. This season, Steffen set a Black & Gold club record for the longest shutout in regular-season action, maintaining a clean sheet for 525 minutes. The streak spanned from the 46th minute of a home match against the San Jose Earthquakes on April 28 to the 30th minute of a home contest against Atlanta United FC on June 13. Steffen’s 525-minute streak is also the eighth-longest regular-season shutout streak in MLS history.
A six-year MLS veteran and a product of the Crew SC Academy, Wil Trapp is currently in his second season as the captain of Crew SC. A Columbus native, Trapp is actively involved with his local community. Thus far in 2018, he has helped build a house for a family in need in association with Habitat for Humanity. In addition to his work with Habitat for Humanity, Trapp has also been involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, including hosting visitors at training and attending a bowling event.
Gyasi Zardes, currently in his sixth season in MLS, suffered a season-ending injury in August of 2016 while playing for the LA Galaxy. After undergoing knee surgery in early 2017, he scored two regular-season goals, before suffering another injury in October of that year. Zardes joined Crew SC ahead of the 2018 season and bounced back to score a career-best 19 goals in regular-season action – more than any other American player in MLS this season. Additionally, Zardes’ 19 goals move him into third place on Crew SC’s list of most goals scored in a single MLS regular season, behind only Stern John (26 goals in 1998) and Kei Kamara (22 goals in 2015).
Crew SC travels to take on D.C. United at Audi Field tomorrow night, Thursday, November 1, in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Knockout Round. The match kicks-off at 8:00 p.m. ET and is set to be televised nationally on FS1 and Unimas will be available as well on the radio locally on CD102.5 FM in English and streamed on ColumbusCrewSC.com in Spanish. The English radio broadcast is also set to stream live on ColumbusCrewSC.com.
