On Thursday, the National Soccer Hall of Fame released its 2020 list of eligible individuals to be voted on for Hall of Fame induction. On the list is current Real Monarchs Head Coach and former MLS Best XI and Defender of the Year Jamison Olave. This is Olave’s first year of eligibility.
Eligible players must be retired for at least three full calendar years, but for no more than 10 full calendar years, and have either played in at least 20 full international games for the U.S. after 1990 or played at least five seasons in an American first-division pro league and named to a postseason league All-Star team at least once.
An RSL legend, Olave featured for RSL from 2008-2012 and 2015-16 to total 159 appearances during the regular season– 157 of which were starts. The rugged defender totaled 13,654 regular season minutes and scored 13 goals during his time with the Utah club and was named MLS Defender of the Year in 2010 and MLS Best XI in 2010 and 2011. He also played an integral role on the backline for RSL during the club’s 2009 MLS Cup championship run.
Olave took the reins of the Monarchs as Interim Head Coach on July 1, 2019, leading the team to a 10-4-5 record (35 points) during the last 19 matches of the 2019 regular season to enter the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Western Conference. The Colombian then led the Monarchs through an immaculate playoff run which culminated with the USL Championship Title where it topped reigning back-to-back champion Louisville City FC.
In his first stint as Interim Head Coach of the Monarchs, Olave led the team to an 11-12-2 record (35 points) across 25 regular season matches as the team finished as the fourth seed in the West before bowing out of the USL Championship Playoffs in the opening round.
Other players with RSL ties on the ballot for the National Soccer Hall of Fame include Nat Borchers, Jeff Cunningham, Chris Klein and Clint Mathis as well as Utah Royals FC Director of Professional Development Amy LePeilbet.
2020 National Soccer Hall of Fame Ballot:
First year of eligibility
Final year of eligibility; moves to Veteran ballot in 2021
· David Beckham
· Gregg Berhalter
· Carlos Bocanegra
· Nat Borchers
· Shannon Boxx
· Jen Buczkowski
· Conor Casey
· Lori Chalupney
· Lauren Cheney Holiday
· Steve Cherundolo
· Brian Ching
· Kenny Cooper
· Jeff Cunningham
· Brad Davis
· Whitney Engen
· Herculez Gomez
· Clarence Goodson
· Kevin Hartman
· Frankie Hejduk
· Thierry Henry
· Stuart Holden
· Eddie Johnson
· Chris Klein
· Amy LePeilbet
· Eddie Lewis
· Lori Lindsey
· Mike Magee
· Justin Mapp
· Kate Sobrero Markgraf
· Pablo Mastroeni
· Clint Mathis
· Heather Mitts
· Jaime Moreno
· Jamison Olave
· Steve Ralston
· Cat Reddick Whitehill
· Robbie Rogers
· Carlos Ruiz
· Hope Solo
· Kelly Smith*
· Aly Wagner
· Josh Wolff
The voting pool includes all past and present full Men's and Women's National Team coaches, all active MLS and NWSL head coaches with a minimum of four years of experience as a head coach at the highest level in the United States, MLS and NWSL management representatives, the MLS and NWSL Commissioners/Executive Director, U.S. Soccer CEO/Secretary General, U.S. Soccer President, designated media members and all Hall of Famers.
Each voter can select up to 10 candidates per ballot. Any player appearing on at least two thirds of ballots will earn election, while any player who does not appear on at least five percent of ballots will be removed from voting contention until they qualify for the Veteran ballot.
