Columbus Crew defender Chad Marshall named MLS Defender of the Year

Columbus Crew defender Chad Marshall
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Columbus Crew defender Chad Marshall has been named the Defender of the Year in Major League Soccer for the 2009 season. This is the second consecutive award for Marshall, who joins Carlos Bocanegra as the only player to achieve that feat.

This is the third time a Crew defender has received the honor, Robin Fraser having previously won the award in 2004. Columbus is one of only two teams two have garnered the award three times over the league's 14 year history.

Marshall played in 18 games during the 2009 season, anchoring a defense that conceded only 20 goals while he was on the field. He enjoyed a productive year offensively as well, scoring four goals to bring his career total to 12.

For a majority of his appearances, Marshall was paired in the center of the Crew defense with first year player Eric Brunner. The defensive tandem evolved successfully as the year moved on, conceding only nine goals in the 12 games the duo started together.

The 25-year-old veteran defender, in his sixth season as a professional, also appeared in six games for the US National Team, highlighted by his involvement in the Gold Cup tournament where the US advanced to the final before bowing to Mexico.

MLS Defender of the Year recipients