The Houston Dash announced their 2020 club award winners today.Players, staff, media and fans voted on four categories that recognized achievements on and off the field.
Team co-captain Jane Campbell was voted Players’ Player of the Year by her teammates, and Kristie Mewiswas voted as the team’s Most Valuable Player by fans and media. Midfielder andNWSL Challenge Cup Final MVP Shea Groom earned Newcomer of the Year honors after recording a team-high six goals in her first year with the club.
In her first year with the club, defender Katie Naughton earned Defender of the Year honors, while second-year defender Ally Prisock won the Young Player of the Year Award.
Campbell was voted by her teammates as the Players’ Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive year after earning four clean sheets and playing every minute of every game thisyear. The 25-year-old held it down in goal throughout the season and played a crucial role in Houston’s first league title during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. Across all competitions, Campbell logged990 minutes in 11 games and finished the season with 26 saves. The Georgia native has received a total of five honors since joining the club, including Players’ Player of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2019 as well as the Unsung Hero in 2017.
Mewis finished the season as the team’s Most Valuable Player after scoring three goals and tallying a team-high six assists in 2020. A key piece in Houston's midfield, Mewis earned NWSL Player of the Week honors on Oct. 6 after scoring a goal and providing three assists in Houston’s 4-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL Fall Series. The Boston nativestarted in every game she played this year, and drew a penalty that resulted in the tournament-winning goal in the Challenge Cup Final against the Chicago Red Stars.
Groom joined Houston in February and established herself as an important attacker for the club after finishing at the top in team goals with six this year and tallying three assists. Voted the team’s Newcomer of the Year, the Texas A&M alumna earned 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Final MVP honors after a dominant 90-minute performance which she capped off by a stoppage-time goal to clinch the title in a 2-0 victory. Groom started in every one of the club’s 11 matches of the year.
In her first year with the Dash, Naughton led the backline throughout all 11 games,playing all 990 minutes this season. The Chicago native was a rock in Houston’s defense with 38 clearances, contributing greatly to the club’s four shutouts in the year.
The Young Player of the Year was awarded to Prisock, who started in seven of nine games played. In her second year with the Dash, Prisock helped reinforce the backline in the team’s four clean sheets posting 22 clearances and seven tackles.
2020 Houston Dash Award Winners
Players’ Player of the Year: Jane Campbell
Most Valuable Player:Kristie Mewis
Newcomer of the Year: Shea Groom
Defensive Player of the Year:Katie Naughton
Young Player of the Year: Ally Prisock
