The same week Louisville City FC received a pair of USL midseason recognitions via a fan vote, supporters propelled the club to three category victories in local ESPY Awards.
Presented by ESPN Louisville — found at AM 680 and FM 105.7 — ESPY results were announced this week. LouCity swept all three categories for which it was nominated: Best Team, Best Coach (James O’Connor) and Best Male Athlete (Matt Fondy).
A first-place club in just its second season, LouCity will take into Sunday’s game against Wilmington Hammerheads FC a 16-match unbeaten streak. Fans voted the soccer team to the Best Team award over Western Kentucky football, Indiana basketball, Louisville baseball and New Albany High School basketball.
O’Connor, a native of Ireland at his first head coaching job, beat out U of L baseball’s Dan McDonnell, WKU football’s Jeff Brohm, IU basketball’s Tom Crean, New Albany basketball’s Jim Shannon and Troy Williams, who coaches at Doss High School.
Fondy, who scored a USL-record 22 goals in 28 regular-season matches last year and was named league MVP, now plays for the Carolina RailHawks of the North American Soccer League. But his contributions counted on the ESPY calendar, good for a win over U of L football’s Sheldon Rankins, UK basketball’s Tyler Ulis, U of L baseball’s Drew Harrington, New Alban basketball’s Romeo Langford and WKU football’s Brandon Doughty.
In other recently announced awards, the USL named LouCity forward Chandler Hoffman its Midseason MVP and right back Kyle Smith the Midseason Rookie of the Year.
