Orlando City Forward Cyle Larin Named 2015 AT&T Rookie of the Year

ORLANDO, Fla. – Nov. 10, 2015 –Orlando City SC forward Cyle Larin has been named the 2015 AT&T Rookie of the Year the Club and Major League Soccer (MLS) announced today. Larin becomes only the second player in league history to win Rookie of the Year honors with an expansion team (Maurice Edu – 2007).

The announcement caps off a monumental 2015 campaign for Larin, who shattered the league single-season scoring record for a rookie – surpassing former Chicago Fire striker Damani Ralph’s mark by six goals with 17 finishes in the regular season.

“We’re delighted for Cyle to win Rookie of the Year after his incredible first season in MLS,” said Head Coach Adrian Heath. “Since he’s come on board, Cyle has really made an effort to learn and grow as a professional each day, and it’s certainly showed in his play on the field. His future is very bright if he continues to progress at this rate.”

Every Goal of Cyle Larin's Record Breaking Season

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“I would like to thank the fans, who have been there for us all season. I wouldn’t have this award if it wasn’t for them,” said Larin. “Secondly I’d like to thank all of my teammates who have been behind me throughout the entire season and provided the assists for my goals. I’d also like to thank the entire technical staff. I don’t think I’d be in this position without them giving me the opportunity and believing in me. Lastly, I’d like to thank everyone throughout the league who voted for me. This award truly means a lot to me.”

After being selected number one overall by City in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, Larin defied expectations in the team’s historic inaugural campaign with his 17 goals, which tied him for fifth best in MLS among the league’s elite goal scorers including Sebastian Giovinco, Kei Kamara, Robbie Keane, David Villa and Bradley Wright-Phillips.

In addition to the rookie goal-scoring record, Larin’s inaugural MLS season featured other noteworthy highlights:

• Lethally Efficient Striker – The 20-year-old Canadian striker’s goal-scoring ratio of 0.8 goals per 90 minutes ranked second best among the top 10 goal-scorers in the league.
  
• Loves the Big Apple – Larin’s hat-tricks against New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls were tied for the most in MLS, making him the first rookie to score two hat-tricks in a season.
  
• Dangerous on the Road – Larin’s nine away goals were tied for third best in MLS.
  
• Weekly Recognition – The rookie was named to the MLS Team of the Week on six occasions.   

All first-year players in MLS, without previous professional experience, were eligible for the AT&T Rookie of the Year award, voted by media, MLS players and MLS club management, based on regular-season performance. The other two finalists were Fatai Alasha (San Jose Earthquakes) and Matt Polster (Chicago Fire).

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