Most Valuable Player – Dustin Swinehart (Charlotte Eagles)

The USL-2 MVP honor may arguably be the most long overdue honor in the league given Dustin Swinehart’s 11-year career with the Eagles that includes seven overall All-League honors and numerous seasons among the statistical scoring tables.

The veteran has been overshadowed in recent years by teammate Jacob Coggins, who has captured numerous scoring titles as well as three MVP awards. But perhaps without Swinehart, those accolades would not have been attainable. Even with Coggins’ departure to USL-1 Carolina, the Eagles still soared to the regular season title and Swinehart, stepping back into the role as striker, led the way, capturing the Scoring and Goal Scoring Championships with 39 points and 16 goals. He also finished second in assists with seven.

The scoring honors were not his first, having shared the Assist Leader award with Coggins in 2004, but they were slightly unexpected despite his history of finishing among the league leaders because of his previous role at midfield. Being up top for the first time since Charlotte’s debut USL-1 campaign in 2001, allowed Swinehart to show that he still had the prowess that led him to second in points (39) and goals (18) that season, finishing behind then MVP Paul Conway.

Swinehart had made his debut in the top 10 in scoring the year before en route to the club’s first USL-2 title, finishing tied for fourth in points, sixth in goals and fifth in assists. He would finish tied for 10th in points in USL-1 in 2002. Their final USL-1 season in 2003 would be the lone year he would not finish in the top 10 in any of the categories over the last nine years. In all, Swinehart has reached the top 10 in points eight times, in goals five times and in assists five times over that span.

And with statistical success also comes accolades from other teams in the league. Swinehart earned his seventh All-League recognition this season, sixth in the USL Second Division. Despite finishing sixth in points last year, he was surprisingly left off the honors list for the first time in eight USL Second Division seasons since his debut Eagles campaign in 1998. He earned his first honor as a forward in 1999 and repeated, as a midfielder, in 2000. His outstanding USL-1 campaign earned a spot on the First Team at forward in 2001. After two more unheralded campaigns in USL-1, he made his triumphant return to the USL Second Division in 2004 with All-League honors and a return to the final.

Swinehart’s Career Accolades

Year	Top 10 Finishes	All-League
2008	First in Points, First in Goals, Second in Assists	USL-2 All-League First Team
2007	Tied sixth in Points
2006	Tied sevent in Points	USL-2 All-League First Team
2005	Tied fourth in Points, Tied fourth in Goals, Tied fourth in Assists	USL-2 All-League First Team
2004	Sixth in Points, Ninth in Goals, Tied first in Assists	USL-2 All-League First Team
2002	Tied tenth in Points
2001	Second in Points, Second in Assists	USL-2 All-League First Team
2000	Tied fourth in Points, Sixth in Goals, Fifth in Assists	USL-2 All-League
1999		USL-2 All-League

Rookie of the Year – Stanley Nyazamba (Richmond Kickers)

Nyazamba joined the Kickers upon graduating from Lee University of the NAIA Conference last spring. In his first professional season, Nyazamba quickly became one of the top scorers, tallying eight goals and two assists overall for 18 points. Good for third on the team in scoring, he also finished in the top 10 in goals and points in the USL-2. Two of his eight goals were also game-winners.

Defender of the Year – Mark Schulte (Cleveland City Stars)

In a historic feat, Schulte became the first player since the award was established in 1998 to repeat as the USL Second Division Defender of the Year. The USL veteran has guided the club to incredible back-to-back seasons of less than one goal allowed per game, finishing with just one more goal allowed than Charlotte this season (16) after being the best in the league last year with only 14 allowed. Schulte played in 18 games for the third place side and also chipped in offensively with two goals and three assists. He played in 20 games with two goals and four assists the year before.

Coach of the Year – Mark Steffens (Charlotte Eagles)

The longtime coach of the Eagles, Steffens became the first coach in league history to earn the USL Second Division Coach of the Year honor twice. He first garnered the honor in 2004, receiving recognition that may have been overdue because of the team’s three-year stint in USL-1 following their championship in 2000. The 2008 campaign of 13-2-5 is arguably the best in the Steffen’s tenure as the team’s coach, marking the fewest losses in a season for Charlotte. Since taking on the position in 1997, Steffens has had only one losing season, the final year in the USL First Division, and has reached the final now six times, winning the 2000 and 2004 titles.