HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, October 25, 2019) – Real Monarchs SLC announced the team’s annual award winners for 2019 based on voting by Real Monarchs SLC players as FW Douglas Martínez was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player while DF Kalen Ryden was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Forward Douglas Martínez: Real Monarchs Most Valuable Player/Golden Boot Winner
Martínez led the attacking front for the Monarchs after signing with the team ahead of the 2019 season. Martínez recorded the club’s first-ever hattrick in the 5-0 rout over Tacoma Defiance in July before breaking the club’s single-game scoring record again with four goals over Portland Timbers 2 in mid-September. The club held a 10-6-6 (36 points) record with Martínez on the pitch. Across his 22 appearances, Martínez recorded a team-leading 16 goals to secure the club’s Golden Boot, as well as tying the team-lead for assists with six. Signing with
Real Salt Lake
in the summer, the Honduran made one appearance in MLS action, starting and playing 64 minutes in the club’s 1-0 win over San Jose on September 11.
Martínez played a pivotal role in the attack to help lift the Monarchs to its resounding +18 goal differential, landing on the USL Championship Team of the Week six times through 2019 as well as being selected as the league’s Player of the Week for Week 19. Martinez becomes the fifth different player to win the team MVP honor. His performances with the Monarchs also led to his first call-up to the senior Honduran National Team where he scored his first goal on October 11 against Trinidad and Tobago.
Defender Kalen Ryden: Defensive Player of the Year
For the second consecutive year, Ryden was voted Defensive Player of the Year. On the Monarchs backline, Ryden made a team-leading 93 clearances and 15 blocks while winning 63% of his aerial duels and 60% of his tackles to help the Monarchs earn the third-best goal differential in the Western Conference. Ryden contributed on offense as well, leading his fellow defenders with three goals and two assists. With Ryden on the field, the Monarchs would earn a record of 13-8-6 (45 points), helping to lift the club to its third consecutive playoff appearance.
All-Time Real Monarchs SLC Season-Ending Award Recipients
Real Monarchs Most Valuable Player: Douglas Martínez (2019), Justin Portillo (2018), Nick Besler (2017)
Real Monarchs Golden Boot: Douglas Martínez (2019), Chandler Hoffman (2018), Chandler Hoffman (2017)
Real Monarchs Defensive Player of the Year: Kalen Ryden (2019), Kalen Ryden (2018), Connor Sparrow (2017)
Real Monarchs SLC opens the 2019 Championship Playoffs on Saturday at Zions Bank Stadium when it hosts Orange County SC at 1:00p MT. Tickets are available at RealMonarchs.com or by calling 844.REAL.TIX.
