Midfielder Lauren Holiday named US women's player of the year

CHICAGO – Midfielder Lauren Holiday is the U.S. women's player of the year.

Holiday, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who played at UCLA, also won U.S. Soccer's young player of the year award in 2007. She is the first woman to win both awards.

Holiday played in her 100th international match earlier this year in a 1-1 draw with Canada in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She also helped her club team, FC Kansas City, to the National Women's Soccer League title against the Seattle Reign in August.

Other candidates included Abby Wambach, Sydney Leroux and Christen Press and Carli Lloyd.

Holiday's award was announced on Saturday.