Goalie Zack Steffen voted USSF male player of 2018

CHICAGO (AP) — Goalkeeper Zack Steffen was voted the U.S. Soccer Federation's Male Player of the Year for 2018, the first year since 1987 the Americans did not play a competitive match.

Steffen received 44 percent of the votes, followed by midfielders Tyler Adams (38 percent) and Weston McKennie (16 percent), the USSF said Tuesday.

Interim coach Dave Sarachan mostly bypassed veterans and went with youth following the Americans' failure to qualify for the World Cup. Gregg Berhalter replaced Sarachan this month.

Steffen appeared in six of 11 U.S. matches this year. The 23-year-old will leave Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew in July to transfer to Manchester City.

Midfielder Alex Mendez was voted the Young Male Player of the Year. Mendez got 43 percent, followed by Mark McKenzie and Giovanni Reyna with 18 percent each. Reyna is a son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna.

Mendez, 18, was voted top player of last month's CONCACAF Under-20 Championship after scoring eight goals with six assists. He signed with Germany's Freiburg in October and is eligible to play next month.

Voters include national team coaches, players with national team appearances in 2018, the USSF board of directors and athlete council members, coaches in Major League Soccer, the United Soccer League, National Women's Soccer League, men's and women's national team coaches, select media and former players and administrators.