Orlando City forward Cyle Larin named 2015 AT&T Rookie of the Year

Orlando forward Cyle Larin named 2015 AT&T Rookie of the Year

Record-breaking Orlando City forward Cyle Larin has been honored – to little surprise – with the AT&T Rookie of the Year award, Major League Soccer announced on Tuesday.


Larin, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Connecticut, set the rookie record for MLS goals in a single season with 17 tallies, shattering the previous mark of 11 set by Damani Ralph in 2003.


The Brampton, Ontario, native, who has become a mainstay with the Canadian national team since making his debut in 2014, recorded two hat tricks (another rookie record) and twice scored two goals in a game. He scored his first MLS goal April 12 against the Portland Timbers in his very first start for Orlando; he went on to make 27 appearances (24 starts) on the season.


Larin's 17 goals tied him with New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips for fifth in the race for the Audi Golden Boot.


AT&T Rookie of the Year voting
%
Club
%
Media
%
Players
Weighted
Total
Cyle Larin (ORL)96.3897.1882.39275.95
Fatai Alashe (SJ)02.783.986.75
Matt Polster (CHI)1.202.273.47


Larin won the award ahead of Rookie of the Year finalists Fatai Alashe and Matt Polster.


Alashe, the No. 4 SuperDraft pick of the San Jose Earthquakes, scored two goals and recorded two assists while starting both in the midfield and defense. Polster, the No. 7 pick of the Chicago Fire, made 30 appearances (27 starts) in midfield. Both earned call-ups to the US U-23 national team as they seek to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics.


AT&T Rookie of the Year winners
2015: Cyle Larin, Orlando City
2014: Tesho Akindele, FC Dallas
2013: Dillon Powers, Colorado Rapids
2012: Austin Berry, Chicago Fire
2011: C.J. Sapong, Sporting Kansas City
2010: Andy Najar, D.C. United
2009: Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy
2008: Sean Franklin, LA Galaxy
2007: Maurice Edu, Toronto FC
2006: Jonathan Bornstein, Chivas USA
2005: Michael Parkhurst, New England Revolution
2004: Clint Dempsey, New England Revolution
2003: Damani Ralph, Chicago Fire
2002: Kyle Martino, Columbus Crew
2001: Rodrigo Faria, MetroStars
2000: Carlos Bocanegra, Chicago Fire
1999: Jay Heaps, Miami Fusion
1998: Ben Olsen, D.C. United
1997: Mike Duhaney, Tampa Bay Mutiny
1996: Steve Ralston, Tampa Bay Mutiny