- Honorees include Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge, Maxwell Woledzi, Cristian Espinoza, Andy Najar and Josh Bauer as well as Huntsville City Football Club’s Will Mackay and Nashville SC Academy's Xavier Aguilar
- The Boys in Gold won the Supporters’ Shield for the first time in club history in 2026 and have set single season MLS records for home wins (15) and home points (47) as well as club records for points (74), MLS wins (22), MLS goals scored (69) and MLS shutouts (16) with one match still remaining
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 5, 2026) – MLS Supporters' Shield winner Nashville Soccer Club announced last night the winners of the club’s 2026 awards at its End of Year Awards Dinner presented by Renasant Bank in a private ceremony held with players and staff at GEODIS Park.
Nashville Soccer Club
- MVP: Midfielder Hany Mukhtar
- Offensive Player of the Year: Forward Sam Surridge
- Defensive Player of the Year: Defender Maxwell Woledzi
- Newcomer of the Year: Midfielder Cristian Espinoza
- Goal of the Year: Defender Andy Najar
- Humanitarian of the Year: Defender Josh Bauer
Huntsville City Football Club
- HCFC Player of the Year: Goalkeeper Will Mackay
Nashville SC Academy
- Academy Player of the Year: U18 Attacking Midfielder Xavier Aguilar
This year’s award winners and their teammates have helped lead the Boys in Gold to the first Supporters’ Shield in club history while setting single season team records for points (74), MLS wins (22), MLS goals scored (69) and MLS shutouts (16) with one regular season match remaining.
Nashville SC also finished the regular season 15W-0L-2D at GEODIS Park to set MLS single season records for home wins (15) and home points (47) while becoming the second club in league history to finish unbeaten at home twice.
2026 Nashville SC Club Award winners and accomplishments:
- Landon Donovan MLS MVP candidate Hany Mukhtar took home Nashville SC’s Most Valuable Player award. Mukhtar ranks seventh in MLS this season with 25 goal contributions (17 goals, eight assists) and became the first player in league history to record at least 25 goal contributions in five different seasons. A 2026 All-Star and Team Captain, Mukhtar is one goal away from becoming the 14th player in MLS history with 100 or more career regular season goals.
- Fellow MLS MVP candidate Sam Surridge was named Nashville SC’s Offensive Player of the Year. Surridge’s 19 regular season goals lead the Boys in Gold and rank fourth in MLS and his seven match-winners top the league. The forward, who scored the goals that clinched the Supporters' Shield (Oct. 24 at CF Montréal) and tied Inter Miami CF’s 2024 MLS single season record of 74 points (Nov. 1 vs. the New York Red Bulls), has 20 or more tallies across all competitions (MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup) for a second straight season.
- First-year Boy in Gold Maxwell Woledzi was selected as Nashville SC’s Defensive Player of the Year. A candidate for MLS Defensive Player of the Year, Woledzi has helped anchor the defense that leads MLS in shutouts (16) and fewest goals conceded (25). The defender has three MLS goal contributions (two goals, one assist) in his first season in the league and is one of two Nashville players with Hany Mukhtar to appear in all 33 regular season matches.
- MLS MVP candidate Cristian Espinoza, who signed with the Boys in Gold as a free agent prior to the season, is Nashville SC’s Newcomer of the Year. Espinoza ranks third on NSC with 19 regular season goal contributions (four goals, 15 assists) and his 15 helpers are a career high and the third most in MLS. With his assist Nov. 1 against the New York Red Bulls, Espinoza became the 13th player in league history to reach 100 career assists (regular season + playoffs).
- The Boys in Gold’s two other MLS Defensive Player of the Year candidates Andy Najar and Jeisson Palacios combined with midfielder Bryan Acosta for Nashville SC’s Goal of the Year: a 95th-minute match-winner vs. the Columbus Crew at GEODIS Park on Aug. 22. With NSC tied during second half added time, Palacios received the ball from Acosta and slipped it into the path of Najar who took a touch before firing a right-footed strike into the far netting to tally the second stoppage-time goal and cap the comeback win.
- Defender Josh Bauer won Nashville SC’s Humanitarian of the Year award for his work with Friends Life Community, a nonprofit that provides adults with developmental disabilities the opportunities to grow personally, develop socially and enjoy community as they experience life together. Bauer was introduced to the organization through his mom and took part in its “Lunch Bunch” initiative where he helped prepare, serve and enjoy a meal. Friends Life Community is one of five nonprofits nominated for Nashville SC’s inaugural Champions Project.
- Goalkeeper Will Mackay was named Huntsville City FC’s Player of the Year. Mackay made 22 starts for the Boys in Blue (regular season + playoffs) and finished the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season with career highs in shutouts (six), saves (69) and penalty kick saves (two). The 18-year-old, who arrived in Huntsville following three seasons with Real Monarchs (2023-25), was named a finalist for MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Year and received a Best XI honorable mention. In July, Mackay competed in Goalie Wars at the 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T.
- Xavier Aguilar was named Nashville SC’s Academy Player of the Year. The U18 attacking midfielder scored his first professional goal (April 18 at Inter Miami CF II) and finished with 22 appearances (regular season + playoffs) with Huntsville City FC in his debut MLS NEXT Pro season. Aguilar also scored once in 22 Academy appearances.
On the Sporting Operations side, First Assistant Athletic Trainer Dylan Green was named Employee of the Year and Nashville SC Player Engagement Manager Bruno Paschoalini was named Newcomer of the Year. In the Front Office, Director of Ticket Operations CJ Berthelsen won Employee of the Year while Director of Booking Max Shafer won Newcomer of the Year.
