Nicknamed "Gooch," Onyewu benefited from a flurry of online voting for the award, which was determined by a mix of fans and media.
At 6-foot-4, Onyewu literally stood out on the field for Team USA during the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The 24-year-old Washington, D.C., native plays for Standard Liege in Belgium.
Lilly, who also won this award last year, has been a member of the U.S. women's national squad for 19 seasons and is one of the few remaining stars from Team USA's 1999 World Cup champion. Now 35, the team captain won her first Athlete of the Year award 13 years ago but continued to pace the American senior squad with 13 goals in 2006. Coincidentally, Lilly wears No. 13.
Lilly has scored 117 career goals while appearing in a record 319 international matches, according to U.S. Soccer.
Lilly has scored so many goals for Team USA, she had her own separate category in fan voting: Best Kristine Lilly Goal of the Year. (Her game winner on Nov. 4 vs. Canada to clinch the Peace Queen Cup title in Seoul, South Korea, took the honor with 31.9 percent of the vote.)
"I love this game, and this game has given me so much," Lilly said in a team release. "This award is another example of that.
"I helped the team, and the team helped me, and we are all united in the same goal: to win the World Cup in 2007," Lilly added. "Hopefully, we can continue this success next year and on to China and bring back the World Cup to the United States."
Lilly's accolades stretch around the world. The week before Christmas, Lilly was in Zurich, Switzerland, to accept the Silver FIFA Women's Player of the Year Award after finishing second in the balloting behind Brazil's Marta. Germany's Renate Lingor was third.
But the former North Carolina stalwart probably will skip next month's Four Nations Tournament in China.
U.S. women's coach Greg Ryan said he intends to rest his older veterans -- such as Lilly, Abby Wambach and Aly Wagner -- and give his youngsters experience. Ryan will hold training camp Jan. 11-15 in Carson.
That could be good news for Elk Grove's Stephanie Lopez. Recently named to Soccer America's college "MVP Team," the University of Portland junior could be a big part of the national squad's current roster.
In the Four Nations Tournament, Team USA plays Germany, England and host China on Jan. 26, 28 and 30, respectively. The U.S. squad won the event three of the last four years, including 2006.
China also will host the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, to be held Sept. 10-30.
Young and honored
Danesha Adams, a 20-year-old midfielder-forward for UCLA, and New York Red Bulls rookie Josmer Altidore, 17, were honored as U.S. Soccer's Young Athletes of the Year. Adams, a star for the under-20 national team, recently advanced to the senior squad and also should see some playing time in January.
The Bee's Debbie Arrington can be reached at (916) 326-5514 or .
