CHICAGO (December 26, 2006) – For their excellence at the highest levels of the sport, U.S. Soccer named U.S. Men’s National Team defender Oguchi Onyewu as the 2006 Male Athlete of the Year and U.S. Women’s National Team forward Kristine Lilly as the 2006 Female Athlete of the Year. Under-20 MNT forward Josmer Altidore and WNT forward Danesha Adams won the Young Male and Young Female Awards, respectively.

Josmer Altidore, born 1989, is the youngest player named to the U20 MNT squad and head coach Thomas Rongen has already named "Jozy" a starter for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Josmer joined U.S. Soccer’s Residency Program in January of 2004. He was one of three players born in 1989 to make the U-17 MNT World Championship roster. Has was the most impressive player from the ’89 age group in Residency scoring 19 goals in 25 appearances and adding four assists. He was drafted by the MetroStars (now Red Bull New York) in the second round of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, the youngest player taken this year. He subsequently joined the U-20 MNT for three camps in 2006.

Altidore has earned a starting position with the Under-20s, but made his mark during the end of his rookie season with Red Bull New York. ‘Jozy’ scored three goals, including two game-winners against Columbus and Chicago, in the last seven regular season games, helping the Red Bulls sneak into the playoffs. Against D.C. United in the home-and-away Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, Altidore notched the lone goal for the Red Bulls with a world-class header in the second match.

Josmer Altidore scored big for Red Bull New York during their run at the 2006 MLS playoffs.

"I am very happy for Josmer to get an honor like this in a big country like America. He really deserves it because as soon as he entered the big stage of the professional world he made an immediate impact. I am very confident that he will make the necessary steps in the next 12 months to establish himself as a top forward in the MLS. After the U20 World Cup I am sure he will be invited to the camps of the US Men’s National Team. Although he just turned 17 he has already a lot of experience, and I believe he will be one of the young Americans, who will surprise the Soccer World at the World Cup 2010 in South America", states Dr. Josef Schulz, his former coach at Boca Juniors and Schulz Academy.

"We have many more players at the academy who I think will make very soon an impact in professional soccer. Josmer was the first one, and I am so happy for him to continue his development on the pro level. Seeing all the young players around the country having so much talent, I am very confident that the U.S. National Team will make a big impact at the World Cup 2010 and especially 2014, hopefully with some players from Schulz Academy. America is blessed with so much talent, and with the improvement of coaching all over the country it is just a matter of time when the USA will seriously challenge the big soccer nations for a World Cup Title", states Dr. Schulz.

Read more about the 2006 Athletes of the Year Awards at www.ussoccer.com.