Tim Howard named U.S. Soccer’s top male player

Tim Howard, who turned in one of the greatest goalkeeping performances in World Cup history last summer, was named U.S. Soccer’s Male Athlete of the Year on Thursday.

Howard made a World Cup-record 15 saves to push Belgium to overtime in a second-round game in Brazil that the U.S. eventually lost, 2-1.

But that wasn’t the only record Howard broke in 2014. He also broke Kasey Keller’s U.S. records for career wins and appearances by a keeper with 55 and 104, respectively.

Howard, who previously won the honor in 2008, beat out World Cup teammates Jermaine Jones and Kyle Beckerman in balloting for the award.

“It’s an honor,” Howard said in a release. “The whole ride with the team for about a month and a half, when we got together for training camp and we flew down to Brazil, we had a really good time. That made 2014 so special to me.”

Howard, who is on a year-long break from the national team, is currently playing club soccer for Everton of the English Premier League.

U.S. Soccer also announced the nominees for its Young Female Athlete of the Year award, and two UCLA players, goalie Katelyn Rowland and midfielder Samantha Mewis, made the list of five.

Rowland helped the top-ranked Bruins reach the NCAA playoffs by setting a collegiate record with 53 career shutouts. The senior also broke the school record for consecutive shutouts (16) and has allowed just four goals in 21 games.

Mewis, also a senior, has 15 goals and 13 assists for UCLA. Last spring, she joined sister Kristie Mewis in playing for the women’s national team, making them just the second pair of sisters to accomplish that.