FCB celebrates award winners at dinner

Buy tickets for the regular season finale!

FC Buffalo manager Frank Butcher and assistant coach Casey Derkacz handed out team- and fan-voted honors at a dinner Wednesday at Soho Burger Bar in Buffalo.

Team captain Chris Walter (Buffalo, N.Y. / Hartwick College) was fittingly given the first ever Heart and Soul Award, newly created to honor the players best adjudged to fit the ethos of the club.

FCB’s center back pairing of Jordan Sinclair and Fox Slotemaker both won accolades from teammates. Sinclair (Glasgow, Scotland / University of Mobile) has played in every minute for FCB this season and edged Slotemaker for the Best Defensive Player award, while Slotemaker (Nelson, New Zealand / Old Dominion University) was celebrated as the club’s Most Valuable Player.

The Unsung Hero award went to Whitby, Ontario midfielder Jake Cooper (Robert Morris University), while Best Offensive Player honors went to leading goal scorer Akean Shackleford (Savannah La Mar, Jamaica / Indian Hills Community College).

The Supporters’ Choice winner, chosen by fans in an online vote, was Shackleford, who edged Cooper, Braden Scales, and Zach Peterson for the honor.

Celebrate the entire team with us at FC Buffalo’s home finale, Friday night at 7 p.m. at Robert Rich Sr. All-High Stadium.

Best Offensive Player
2017 winner: Akean Shackleford
2016 winner: (tie) Romario Guscott and Kieran Toland
2015 winner: Brett Larocque
2014 winner: Russell Cicerone
2013 winner: Ian Mort
2012 winner: Mike Reidy
2011 winner: Mike Reidy
2010 winner: Richie Wilson

Best Defensive Player
2017 winner: Jordan Sinclair
2016 winner: David Acuna Camacho
2015 winner: Andrew Coughlin
2014 winner: Jake Rinow
2013 winner: Bobby Ross
2012 winner: Josh Hall
2011 winner: Corey Phillips
2010 winner: Mbwana Johnson

Unsung Hero
2017 winner: Jake Cooper
2016 winner: Jack Donaldson
2015 winner: (tie) Connor Willings, Fox Slotemaker and Brett Larocque
2014 winner: Marcus Hanson
2013 winner: (tie) Brian Knapp and Bobby Ross
2012 winner: Patrick Zelko
2011 winners: (tie) Andrew Larracuente and Joshua Faga
2010 winner: John Grabowski

Most Valuable Player
2017 winner: Fox Slotemaker
2016 winner: (tie) Jack Donaldson and Johnny McBeth
2015 winner: Andrew Ferguson
2014 winner: Russell Cicerone
2013 winner: Ian Mort
2012 winners: (tie) Mike Reidy and Andy Tiedt
2011 winner: Joshua Faga
2010 winner: Daniel Stevens

Supporters Choice Award
2017 winner: Akean Shackleford
2016 winner: Ian McGrath
2015 winner: Andrew Ferguson
2014 winner: Russell Cicerone
2013 winner: Ian Mort
2012 winner: Matt Stedman
2011 winner: Joshua Faga
2010 winner: (tie) Daniel Stevens and Eric Steinmetz

Heart and Soul Award
2017 winner: Chris Walter

Buy tickets for the regular season finale!