Howard, Kljestan, Lloyd honored by U.S. Soccer

By Zac Lee Rigg, Special to SI.com, Goal.com

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Goalkeeper Tim Howard has won the U.S. Soccer Federation's 2008 Male Athlete of the Year Award. He has been in impenetrable form for the U.S. national team, keeping Bob Bradley's team on course for qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, as well as excelling in high-profile friendlies against Argentina, Spain, and England.

"This is a wonderful honor for me to accept the Male Athlete of the Year Award," said Howard in a video on ussoccer.com. "Down the years there are some wonderful, very talented players who have won it. To be among a list of those players is special and prestigious and really humbles me."

Three other awards were announced: Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan won the 2008 Young Male Athlete of the Year Award, Carli Lloyd took home the Female Athlete of the Year Award and Kristie Mewis nabbed the Young Female of the Year Award.

After impressing this season once again with Chivas USA, Kljestan also put in noteworthy performances for the U.S. squad that took part in the Beijing Olympics and forced his way into the full men's national-team setup. As such, he has been attracting clubs across continental Europe. This award will only encourage his courters.

"I just want to say thank you to all the fans for voting me Young Male Athlete of the Year," Kljestan said. "I know I'm in great company as Michael Bradley has won this before me and my buddy Benny Feilhaber. Hopefully I can follow in their footsteps and we can continue as a national team. I'm very proud to have won the award this year."

The award winners are selected through a series of voting from fans, media and U.S. soccer representatives.