With the men’s college soccer season kicking off later this week, here is a look at the numerical trends behind the players who have won the TDS Player of the Year award.

More: TDS Men’s Player of the Year History

0 - No freshman has ever won the award.

1 - Bryan Dowd (Notre Dame 2023) is the only goalkeeper to win the award.

2 - Stanford (Jordan Morris & Tomas Hillard-Arce), Georgetown (Joshua Yaro & Dante Polvara), Notre Dame (Harry Shipp & Bryan Dowd), and Indiana (Andrew Gutman & Eriq Zavaleta) are tied for the lead with two winners each.

3 - Three defenders have won the award. Joshua Yaro of Georgetown in 2014, Tomas Hilliard-Arce of Stanford in 2017, and Andrew Gutman of Indiana in 2018.

3 - Three winners of the award have been selected as the number two pick in the MLS draft. Tomas Hilliard-Arce (2018), Josh Yaro (2016), Darren Mattocks (2012). The other most popular draft pick is sixth, represented by Duncan McGuire (2023) and Brayn Dowd (2024).

3 - Three POTY winners have gone on to become senior internationals for other countries. Darren Mattocks (Akron 2011) went on to make 50 appearances for Jamaica. Eriq Zavaleta (Indiana 2012) has played 27 matches for El Salvador. Joe Bell (Virginia 2019) has earned 23 caps for New Zealand.

3 - Three of the winners were born in Illinois, the most of any state (Bryan Dowd, Harry Shipp, Andrew Gutman). Two winners are from New York (Veljko Petkovic & Dante Polvara). The others are Indiana (Eriq Zavaleta), Washington (Jordan Morris), Connecticut (Tomas Hilliard-Arce), Nebraska (Duncan McGuire), Colorado (Sam Bassett).

4 - Four players signed homegrown MLS deals. Harry Shipp (Notre Dame 2013) signed a deal with the Chicago Fire. Jordan Morris (Stanford 2015) signed with the Seattle Sounders. Ian Harkes (Wake Forest 2016) signed with D.C. United. Sam Bassett (Denver 2024) signed with the Colorado Rapids.

4  - Four sophomores have won the award. Darren Mattocks of Akron in 2011, Eriq Zavaleta of Indiana in 2012, Veljko Petkovic of Pittsburgh in 2020, Duncan McGuire of Creighton in 2022.

4 - Four juniors have won the award. Joshua Yaro of Georgetown in 2014, Jordan Morris of Stanford in 2015, Joe Bell of Virginia in 2019, and Dante Polvarra of Georgetown in 2021.

4 - There have been four winners born outside of the United States. Darren Mattocks (Jamaica), Joshua Yaro (Ghana), Ian Harkes (England), Joe Bell (England).

4 - Number of players who won the award and national championship in the same season. Eriq Zavaleta (Indiana 2012), Harry Shipp (Notre Dame 2013), Jordan Morris (Stanford 2015), Tomas Hilliard-Arce (Stanford 2017).

6 - Six seniors have won the award, the most of any class. Harry Shipp (Notre Dame 2013), Ian Harkes (Wake Forest 2016), Tomas Hilliard-Arce (Stanford 2017), Andrew Gutman (Indiana 2018), Bryan Dowd (Notre Dame 2023) and Sam Bassett (Denver 2024).

10 - Nine schools have had a player win the award. Stanford (2), Georgetown (2), Indiana (2), Notre Dame (2), Creighton (1), Virginia (1), Akron (1), Pittsburgh (1), Wake Forest (1), Denver (1).

13 - The 13 assists Sam Bassett recorded in 2024 are the most by a winner in a single season. 

14 - There have been 14 recipients of the award, starting with Darren Mattocks in 2011.

23 - The 23 goals Duncan McGuire scored in 2022 are the most by a winner in a single season. 

56 - Jordan Morris (Stanford 2015) and Duncan McGuire (Creighton 2022) are the two to have made the senior U.S. National Team appearances with 56 so far. 55 of those are from Morris.

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