Pittsburgh Riverhounds forward Jose Angulo named USL PRO MVP

On Friday, the USL PRO soccer league bestowed their 2013 awards at a ceremony in Orlando, site of Saturday’s USL PRO Championship Game between the Charlotte Eagles and the Orlando City Lions at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

The league announced their selections for most valuable player, along with rookie, defender, goalkeeper and coach of the year. The voting was conducted by USL PRO team management.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds forward Jose Angulo was named the MVP as he claimed the scoring title with 34 points. Hailing from Barranquilla, Columbia, Angulo’s team-leading 15 goals tied him with Orlando City’s Dominic Dwyer for most in USL PRO. The duo tied for a new league record for goals in a single season.

The 5-foot-11 Angulo also has the distinction of scoring the first goal in Highmark Stadium history, when the Hounds opened their new stadium along the Monongahela River back in April, and had a role in more than half of Pittsburgh’s 36 regular season goals. Angulo, 25, added to his laurels by being the league’s shot leader with 73.

Nate Robinson of the Richamond Kickers was named the Rookie of the Year. The 5-foot-9 midfielder finished his rookie season with four goals and a team-high nine assists.

Colin Falvery of the Charleston Battery was named the Defender of the Year. The Battery’s captain appeared in every game of the season and missed just 34 minues of action. He had two goals and one assist.

Andrew Dykstra of the Richmond Kickers was named the Goalkeeper of the Year. The league-leader in goals-against average and shutouts, Dykstra made 75 saves in 21 appearances on loan from D.C. United.

Leigh Cowlishaw of the Richmond Kickers was named Coach of the Year. Richmond set a new USL PRO record by going 22 games without a defeat, with contributions coming from all over the field. The Kickers scored more than twice the number of goals in conceded during the regular season.

The 2013 USL PRO Championship Game will see the second-seed Orlando City host the fifth-seed Charlotte Eagles at the Florida Citrus Bowl at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Eagles defeated the regular-season champion Richmond Kickers 2-1 to make it to the championship showdown, while Orlando City held off the Charleston Battery, 3-2.