Following the 2017 Major League Soccer regular season and postseason, Columbus Crew SC announced its 2017 Team Awards — including the Acura Most Valuable Player, Golden Boot Winner, Defender of the Year, OhioHealth Humanitarian of the Year, Kirk Urso Heart Award and Crew SC Academy Player of the Year.
Josh Williams is the fifth player to receive this award after Kirk Urso was posthumously honored in the inaugural year of the special recognition in 2012. Voted by his teammates, Williams was chosen as the player that best exemplified the qualities in a teammate and became “the heart” in the Black & Gold’s locker room.
The Ohio-native made 22 regular-season appearances (19 starts), while helping the club earn seven shutouts. Williams also scored three goals during the regular season, getting on the scoresheet for the first time since 2013.
