Howard, Lloyd selected as U.S. players of year

CHICAGO — Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was selected as U.S. soccer male athlete of the year and midfielder Carli Lloyd was picked as the top female athlete.

Howard had consecutive shutouts in World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala, Cuba, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Lloyd, the first midfielder to win the women's honor since Shannon MacMillan in 2002, scored as the United States beat Brazil 1-0 in overtime in the gold medal game of the Beijing Olympics.

Online votes accounted for 50 percent of the balloting in totals announced Thursday, with the remainder cast by media, coaches and the USSF board of directors.

In the under-23 category, midfielder Sacha Kljestan was the young male athlete of the year and midfielder Kristie Mewis the young female athlete of the year.