Tobin Heath named US women’s Player of the Year

CHICAGO – Tobin Heath has been voted the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Female Player of the Year.

The USSF also announced Tuesday that Ashley Sanchez was voted the Young Female Player of the Year.

Heath had a career-high six goals and eight assists in 22 games with the national team this season, including two assists in the Olympics. The U.S. women were ousted from the Olympics in the quarterfinals by Sweden.

The 28-year-old midfielder also had 10 assists in just 14 appearances for the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. The mark was a league record.

“This year was a difficult one for our team, but overall we played some great soccer so it’s humbling to be recognized individually,” Heath said in a statement. “I’m just proud to be in the company of all the great players that were nominated and all of the players that played for the USA this year.”

Sanchez, 17, captained the U.S. team at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan, and was the youngest player for the Americans at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.

The UCLA recruit became the first national team player to score in both events in the same year.

Heath captured 40 percent of the vote, followed by Crystal Dunn with 34 percent. Sanchez earned 47 percent of the vote. Voters included national team coaches and staff, women’s national team players who appeared in 2015, the USSF board of directors and athlete council, National Women’s Soccer League coaches and selected college coaches and media members.