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) | 96.38 | 97.18 | 82.39 | 275.95 |
| Fatai Alashe (SJ) | 0 | 2.78 | 3.98 | 6.75 |
| Matt Polster (CHI) | 1.2 | 0 | 2.27 | 3.47 |
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
