Announcing the First Midseason Footy Awards Winners
We're pleased to announce our inaugural drawing winners, our first two Footy Awards winners, and one last chance to vote (until tomorrow).
Note: We opened the final ballot one last time so you can vote until midnight tomorrow.
If you haven’t already, vote the final ballot here!
Thanks to everyone who participated in our first-ever midseason footy awards. We’re proud to announce our winners from the first ballot today, and for those of you who are stragglers, we’ve opened up the final ballot one last time so you can cast your votes. Vote now, as we’re closing the ballot tomorrow night at midnight!
And, of course, we still have a ton of great prizes for our Footy Awards drawings …
On to our first two winners!
Best Carolinas Soccer Story of 2024
We’ve had some amazing stories in Carolinas soccer this year. From new clubs (including the Carolina Core & Carolina Ascent), to new faces (the Nyandjo brothers), to teams reaching national championships (Asheville City SC, Charlotte FC Academy), it’s been a busy year in the Carolinas.
The Nominees Were …
Asheville City SC wins USL2 Southern Conference Championship
Charlotte FC's Nyandjo Brothers Rise through the Ranks Together
Patrick Agyemang Becomes Charlotte's Go-To Striker
Ascent Brings Pro Women's Sports Back to Charlotte after 17 Years
Clay Dimick Transcends an Otherwise Career-Ending Injury
Charlotte FC Academy U-17s Reach MLS NEXT Finals
Chituru Odunze Wins MLS NEXT Pro Goalie Wars
Carolina Core Brings Pro Soccer to the Triad
The Runner-up Is …
Carolina Ascent Brings Pro Women's Sports Back to Charlotte after 17 Years
(Read the Full Story)
On Saturday, August 17, Carolina Ascent FC hosted the first-ever USL Super League match in Charlotte. Ascent defender and Mecklenburg County native Vicky Bruce secured her team’s 1-0 victory over DC Power FC with a set piece tap-in that became the first goal in Super League history.
Bruce’s goal - and the Ascent’s win - came in front of a sellout crowd of 10,500 fans at American Legion Memorial Stadium. Traffic around the stadium in the two hours prior to the match was indicative of the success of the event, and all on-site parking filled up before kickoff.
And the Winner Is …
Clay Dimick Transcends an Otherwise Career-Ending Injury
(Read the Full Story)
Last July, days after his wife Cat gave birth to their second child, Dimick experienced a life-changing neck injury that threatened to end his career. He decided to pursue a surgery that would give him a chance to play again - though only after an arduous recovery that would force him to relearn basic motor skills on the path to recovery.
In January, both the team and Dimick’s neurosurgeon cleared him to play soccer again. When he started for the Jacks on March 16, he became the first professional athlete to return to play after a two-level cervical artificial disc replacement.
After a scoreless first half against visitors One Knoxville SC, the Independence dropped a goal six minutes into the second half. In the 75th minute, Dimick answered as he tapped in the equalizer for the team’s first goal of the season.
Carolina Ascent Hometown Hero
The Carolina Ascent hadn’t started play yet when we held this vote, so we asked Footy Awards voters which player they were most excited to see play this year. Note that while many of the nominees grew up in the area and/or attended school here, nominations were open to any announced player for the Ascent’s first team or academy.
The Nominees Were …
Isabella Franco
Jaida McGrew
Jill Aguilera
Mia Corbin
Vicky Bruce
The Runner-up Is …
Jaida McGrew
(Read More)
“Jaida is a local player with massive potential who has shown she belongs at this level,” Ascent head coach Philip Poole stated in a club press release. “I was pleased to see her progression into the U17 U.S. National Team along with the impact she was able to have in the USL W League this summer. When a local player exceeds expectations it is our duty to recognize that and learn as much as we can about them. We watched Jaida several times before inviting her to train with us. We are really excited about what she will bring to the team.”
And the Winner Is …
Mia Corbin
(Read More)
Carolina Ascent FC defended their position atop the USL Super League table on Sunday, August 25, with forward Mia Corbin finding the equalizer late in the second half after Sydney Shepard put Lexington Sporting Club ahead shortly after halftime with the club’s first-ever goal …
The breakthrough for Carolina finally came in the 76th minute, as Aguilera beat multiple Lexington players on the left wing and found Mia Corbin wide open at the top of the box. Corbin’s shot easily got past Skiba’s gloves, and the Ascent equalized.
“We worked the ball to the side and then we worked it back. Like we do in practice, we’ve been working on completing passes in the final third, and we were able to get it back in the middle,” said Corbin in a post-match press conference. “In the end, just putting it in the back of the net, which was the goal for today. It feels amazing. I’m just happy to be here, to be in the Carolinas and on this team. I’m happy to get the first one out of the way and hopefully more to come.”
Congratulations to our free drawing winners!
John O’Connor won free tickets to Leagues Cup and Mike Umberger and Matt Donovan won free Carolina Core swag just for voting in the Footy Awards! Don’t forget to cast your ballot tomorrow night, as our next winners will be able to pick from cool soccer shirts; scarves from Charlotte FC, Carolina Ascent, and Crown Legacy; and Charlotte FC prize bags!