SAN JOSE, Calif. –
The San Jose Earthquakes announced their 2016 club award winners today, which includes forward Chris Wondolowski for Most Valuable Player, goalkeeper David Bingham for Defensive Player of the Year and midfielder Shea Salinas for the Andrew Bedard Spirit of the Game Award/Humanitarian of the Year. These awards aim to recognize the players that have made the biggest impact at the Quakes, both on and off the pitch, during the 2016 season.
The winners of Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year were selected by a vote with the media, players and technical staff each receiving a one-third weight. The Earthquakes community relations department selected the winner of the Andrew Bedard Spirit of the Game Award/Humanitarian of the Year.
Wondolowski claimed his sixth Earthquakes MVP Award and third consecutive (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015). He leads the Earthquakes with 12 goals in 28 games this season, and became the first player in MLS history to score 10 or more goals in seven consecutive seasons. He became just the second player in MLS history to score against 21 MLS clubs, including Chivas USA, when he scored against the Houston Dynamo on July 31. Wondolowski also became the first player in Earthquakes history to score in seven of the team’s first eight matches of a season.
Bingham has been the anchor at the back for San Jose all season, starting and playing in all 32 matches to date. The goalkeeper has played a vital role in helping the Quakes earn the third lowest goals against average in the league (1.19). He ranks sixth in MLS in saves (98) and saves percentage (72.1%) and tied for sixth in shutouts (seven). He also earned Team of the Week honors in Weeks 1, 21 and 23 and earned Save of the Week during Weeks 6 and 8.
Salinas was previously recognized as the club’s Humanitarian of the Year (2009, 2012, 2014, 2015) and also earned the Andrew Bedard Spirit of the Game Award in 2009. In 2016, Salinas played a primary role in the community program ‘Get Earthquakes Fit’, a five-week program which promotes living a healthy lifestyle and remaining active among students at local schools. Salinas voluntarily attended 90 percent of the 40 assemblies this season and is passionate about fitness and wants to help instill a strong work ethic in today’s youth. Salinas also runs his own training sessions for youth and is active in his church community. The award is named for Andrew Bedard, a young Earthquakes fan who passed away at eight years old in 2004. The Andrew Bedard Spirit of the Game Award will be presented annually to the Earthquakes player that works hard in the community and best embodies Andrew’s positive attitude both on and off the field. For more information on the Andrew Bedard Spirit of the Game Award, please visit
www.sjearthquakes.com/spiritofthegame/award.
