Nov. 21, 2012
Full release from Sportingkc.com
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Former Notre Dame men’s soccer All-American and current Sporting Kansas City standout Matt Besler was voted the MLS Defender of the Year.
Besler anchored a Sporting Kansas City defense that allowed 27 goals in 34 MLS matches to lead all MLS teams with the fewest goals conceded. He started 30 of his 31 appearances in 2012 and was part of a smothering team defense that held opponents to the fewest shots (328) and shots on goal (102) of all 19 teams during the regular season.
At Notre Dame, Besler played in 90 matches, including 73 starts, from 2005-08 and tallied five goals and seven assists. He earned first team All-America honors during his senior campaign. Besler was a three-time all-BIG EAST honoree and was named the 2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The Overland Park, Kan., native was selected by Kansas City in the first round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.
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