The Independence Excellence in Leadership Awards
presented by
Spring 2026 awards have been announced!
The Independence Excellence in Leadership Awards presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC is earned by a player from each of our teams in all of our competitive programs including USL League 1, USL League 2, USL W League, USL Academy, National, Regional Academy, Pre-MLS/Pre-GA, State (Blue/Tan/White/Navy) and Youth Academy.
The criteria for a player to be awarded the Independence Excellence in Leadership Award includes the qualities of team leadership, sportsmanship and modeling the values and principles of the club with an unwavering and passionate commitment.
Youth & Pre-Professional Nomination Process
For all youth teams and pre-professional teams, the coach will nominate and award one player from their team. These players will be awarded the Independence Excellence in Leadership Award certificate and will recognized in a ceremony at a first-team game and on the Club website and other communication channels.
League 1 Nomination Process
The coaching staff and front office will collaborate on the selection of the first team winner. The awarded player will receive recognition at a ceremony at the last game of the regular season and throughout the team’s communication channels.
Independence Excellence in Leadership Awards presented by BCBS of NC
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Fernando | Acosta |
| Caiden | Addington |
| Matheus | Albino |
| Avery | Andrews |
| Nivvan | Annadi |
| Mateo | Bailey |
| Savannah | Barnhill |
| Chris | Barrera |
| Kendall | Bauer |
| Nadia | Begic |
| Charleigh | Bird |
| Lola | Bitti |
| Lucy | Boggs |
| Grace | Boyd |
| Danielle | Brennan |
| Millie 'Sally' | Brennan |
| Charlotte | Brewer |
| Parker | Brewer |
| Bexley | Browning |
| Kendall | Bruckner |
| Beckham | Bryant |
| Will | Campbell |
| Mason | Carruthers |
| Amelia | Casatelli |
| Avery | Cavan |
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Sonny | Cheslak |
| Remy | Chriss |
| Luke | Clarkson |
| Blaine | Coambs |
| Daniel | Collins |
| Dahlia | Collins |
| Isabelle | Connally |
| Samuel | Correira |
| Collin | Crawford |
| Madison | Crenshaw |
| Tayler | Culbertson |
| Logan | Culbertson |
| Adeline | Davidson |
| Lauren | De Jonge |
| Jack | DeMario |
| Grayson | Devore |
| Brayden | Doby |
| Oksana | Douglas |
| Rory | Ehrenkranz |
| Demid | Eliseev |
| Carter | Eppes |
| Madelyn | Ervin |
| Lucy | Evansek |
| Graydon | Ewald |
| Rylee | Farmer |
| Ian | Ferguson |
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Colin | Finlon |
| Davis | Flynn |
| Dawson | Forrest |
| Natalie | Frazier |
| Zoe | Freese |
| Jude | Garrison |
| Chloe | Giang |
| Ella | Glennon |
| Collin | Golden |
| Lincoln | Goldstein |
| Anthony | Gonzalez |
| Jose | Gonzalez |
| Angelo | Grandelli |
| Tabitha | Grant |
| Malachi | Grigg |
| Valerie | Guzman |
| Ibrahim | Hamad |
| Mason | Hamp |
| Avery | Harper |
| Zackery | Harrell |
| Kamiryn | Hawkins |
| Bay | Helfrich |
| Brody | Henderson |
| Lola | Hendy |
| Ashlyn | Holder |
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Jiancarlo | Horne |
| Santiago | Jaramillo |
| Zoe | Johnson |
| Camden | Johnson |
| Cameron | Jones |
| Landon | Jones |
| Surya | Kamisetty |
| Pierce | Karner |
| Grey | Karner |
| Varun | Kasuganti |
| Max | Keefer |
| Cullen | Kelly |
| Wali | Khan |
| Cooper | King |
| Dj | Kuharik |
| Riley | Kunonga |
| Owen | Lester |
| Ellison | Ligon |
| Drew | Link |
| Nora | Lowery |
| Janick | Marinkovich |
| Lenox | Marolf |
| Averie | Martin |
| Stella | Martinez |
| Brynn | Martket |
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Davi | Massaneiro |
| Oscar | Masterson |
| Nathan | Mays |
| Oliver | McGinnis |
| Lane | McGlinn |
| Luke | Meiser |
| Sebastian | Meller |
| Avriella | Miller |
| Christian | Mineck |
| Liam | Moore |
| Leo | Moncada |
| Sergio | Munoz-Sandoval |
| Nathan | Najera |
| Cody | Needelmann |
| Chloe | Newsome |
| Landon | Nicholson |
| Nayeli | Nieves |
| No girls | No girls |
| Elizabeth | Odonohue |
| Lydia | Ormand |
| Blake | Ormand |
| Lydia | Ormand |
| Bentley | Owens |
| Camryn | Palmer |
| Sahaj | Patel |
| Chase | Pavao |
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Jax | Peak |
| Addison | Peirce |
| Jordan | Pereira |
| Kinsley | Pernell |
| Finnegan | Person |
| Everly | Phillips |
| Greyson | Phillips |
| Gage | Pierce |
| Daniel | Pizarro |
| Layla | Prelong |
| Noah | Ramkissoon |
| Davis | Reid |
| Harper | Robbins |
| Liam | Roberts |
| Lillian | Robinson |
| Nikko | Roca |
| Gabby | Rolf |
| Alexa | Roy |
| Cohen | Russ |
| Bailey | Salazar |
| Niam | Samlal |
| Skylar | Scott |
| Gus | Segars |
| Mason | Sell |
| Ilai | Shai |
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Connor | Siebert |
| Shelby | Siggins |
| Jahlil | Silas |
| Lily | Smith |
| Hailey | Smith |
| Trevor | Sorino |
| Keagan | Spence |
| Timmy | Stapleton |
| Jayden | Steves |
| Apollo | Storino |
| Oliver | Swilling |
| Declan | Tabor |
| Nico | Tessadri |
| Palmer | Thompson |
| Judah | Thompson |
| Eames | Thompson |
| Evan | Travieso |
| Vinh | Trihn |
| Bennett | Trone |
| Roman | Tylor |
| Kostas | Tzimopoulos |
| Ricardo | Urias-Ramirez |
| Kenay | Vargas |
| Jeffery | Veliz |
| Ryley | Vernon |
| First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|
| Daniel | Villegas |
| Forrest | Vining |
| Henry | Von Bremen |
| Zimmer | Watson |
| Madelyn | Wisnosky |
| Lila | Witherspoon |
| Aubrey | Yocky |
| Dylan | Zdaniewski |
