Busby Jr. and Leroux named as finalists for USL 2011 W-League awards

Vancouver Whitecaps FC is pleased to announce that striker Sydney Leroux and head coach Hubert Busby Jr. have been named finalists for United Soccer Leagues (USL) 2011 W-League awards. Leroux is a finalist in the Rookie of the Year category and Busby Jr. in the Coach of the Year category. Busby Jr. is last year’s recipient of the W-League 2010 Coach of the Year. Awards will be presented at a banquet to be held tomorrow, Thursday July 28, in Tukwila, Washington.

Leroux, 21, was an offensive force for Whitecaps this season, registering 11 goals and 24 points in 11 appearances for the Blue and White. She was recently named to the W-League’s All-Western Conference team after a dynamic goal against the Santa Clarita Blue Heat this past weekend in the W-League Western Conference Final, helping Whitecaps FC to a 4-3 victory and a berth in this weekend’s W-League Championship Final Four in Tukwila, Washington.

Busby Jr., in his second season with Whitecaps FC women, led his squad to a record of 8W-2L-4D on route to qualifying for this weekend’s league championship in Washington. Busby Jr.’s squad recorded seven clean sheets on the season, a testament to the team’s strong commitment to defence throughout the year.

Having defeated the Santa Clarita Blue Heat in Sunday’s W-League Western Conference Final, Whitecaps FC now travel across the border for the W-League Championship Final Four in Tukwila, Washington. The action begins this Friday, July 29, as they face Atlanta Silverbacks in the W-League semifinals. Should Whitecaps FC win on Friday, they will face the winner of the other semifinal between the host Seattle Sounders Women and the undefeated Ottawa Fury in the W-League Championship Final on Sunday, July 31, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. PT. Tickets for this weekend’s championship action can be purchased online by clicking here.