While United focus on retooling and assembling a stronger squad for their 2018 campaign, the 2017 season was not without some impressive individual performances. Members of the Black-and-Red picked up a total of 20 MLS player awards in the 2017 season thanks to their efforts on the pitch. Recap all 20 individual awards from the year.
1 Alcatel MLS Player of the Week
Forward Patrick Mullins was voted the Alcatel MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) in Week 29 following his four-goal performance against San Jose. The striker scored a career-high four goals against the Earthquakes at RFK, becoming the fastest four-goal scorer in MLS history and the first MLS player to ever score four goals in one half. Mullins scored off a one-touch finish in the six-yard box, a header in the six-yard box, a strike off a goalkeeper deflection, and a free kick just outside the top of the box. The historic showing also earned Mullins a spot on EA Sports FIFA's Ultimate Team Team of the Week.
3 AT&T Goals of the Week
Patrick Nyarko, Ian Harkes, and Paul Arriola each won MLS' AT&T Goal of the Week for Week 17, 19, and 33, respectively. Nyarko's strike against Atlanta on June 21 ended as the game-winner, as the midfielder settled a cross with his chest and hit a shot with his right foot to beat the goalkeeper and put the Black-and-Red up 2-1 in the 60th minute. Harkes' July 4 goal at Dallas and Arriola's Oct. 22 goal against New York were both the AT&T Goals of the Week and the midfielders' first career MLS goals. Harkes earned the honors after United's match at Dallas, where the rookie received a cross at the top of the box and confidently buried his shot in the upper 90. Arriola was voted the Goal of the Week winner for his outstanding finish in United's RFK finale, hammering home a Luciano Acosta cross for the last-ever Black-and-Red goal at RFK Stadium.
2 MLS Saves of the Week
Bill Hamid earned MLS Save of the Week honors twice in 2017. The goalkeeper's first SOTW win came after United's June 21 win against Atlanta, in which Hamid sprawled to his right to deny a last-second free kick from Josef MartÃnez that had the potential to equalize for Atlanta. Hamid earned the league's recognition again following the Black-and-Red's Sept. 16 match at Chicago, where he deflected an open strike from Nemanja Nikolic in the six-yard box.
14 MLS Team of the Week selections
Luciano Acosta, Bill Hamid, Kofi Opare, Sean Franklin, Russell Canouse, Patrick Mullins, and Paul Arriola each earned spots on MLS' Team of the Week throughout the season. Hamid led the way with six Team of the Week selections, followed by Acosta and Arriola's two selections each. United wins tended to coincide with MLS Team of the Week worthy performances—out of the nine weeks for which Black-and-Red members earned Team of the Week honors, United won seven of those matches and drew once.
