WUSA Season Ending Awards Announced; Meinert Named WUSA MVP for 2003, Forward Gets Deserved Award in Her Last Season Before Retirement - STM Staff

SAN DIEGO, CA - The WUSA big wigs announced last Thursday that Boston Breakers forward Maren Meinert has been named the league's Most Valuable Player for the 2003 season. Meinert, who will be retiring this year, beat out Washington Freedom forward Abby Wambach and her Washington teammate Mia Hamm, who finished third.

The Duisberg, Germany native finished sixth in 2003WUSA overall scoring race with nine goals and 10 assists for 28 points. Despite her diminutive size, 5-foot-6, she managed to lead the Breakers to the 2003 WUSA regular season championship.

The German international follows a wave of influential international WUSA players such 2002 WUSA MVP Marinette Pichon, Philadelphia Charge and French international forward.

Meinert was named the Hyundai All-Star Game Most Valuable Player and the league's Most Valuable Player giving her an unprecedented double.

The withdrawn forward ranked among the WUSA's top six players in points, assists, total shots, shots on goal, game-winning assists, multi-goal games and shots on goal percentage in 2003. She also scored two goals and added an assist as the World Stars beat the American Stars in the 2003 Hyundai WUSA All-Star Game.

More importantly, Meinert made the Breakers a better team with her presence on the field as Boston went from sixth place in 2002 to first place in 2003.

Meinert finishes her WUSA career tied for the all-time scoring lead (81 pts.) with Atlanta's Charmaine Hooper, who is playing in the upcoming Founder's Cup III.

Meinert will sit out the upcoming 2003 Women's World Cup in the USA, despite overtures and lures from the German soccer federation. She led Germany to the 2001 European Championship.

WUSA Most Valuable Player All-Time
Season Player Team
2003 Maren Meinert Boston Breakers
2002 Marinette Pichon Philadelphia Charge
2001 Tiffeny Milbrett New York Power

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