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The voting is in and it's a tie! Derrick Etienne and Marius Obekop both collected 30% of the vote for New York Red Bulls II Player of the Year and will share the prestigious award. Konrad Plewa (19%), Mike da Fonte (15%), and Leo Stolz (7%) rounded out the voting.
Etienne, a Haitian youth international, joined the team on an amateur contract and quickly became one of the most talked about players in USL. In 14 appearances, he scored three goals and put together quite the highlight reel full of one-on-ones and phenomenal passes. Currently, Etienne is attending the University of Virginia where he recently completed his freshman season. There's been talk and speculation of the Red Bulls signing him to a Homegrown contract for the 2016 season, but for now let's just appreciate some of his best moments from the 2015 season.
Obekop, a Cameroonian winger, was NYRB II's leading scorer with six goals in 20 appearances. In his third season under contract with the MLS squad, he spent the majority of the season on loan in USL. The team struggled at times to find a rhythm and produce on offense, but Obekop's speed proved to be an advantage on counter attacks. Unfortunately, he was released by the Red Bulls and it is unknown if he will be returning to the club in 2015. Obekop's always been a big ball of potential, and this season fans started to see glimpses of a player who could be a top professional with a little more seasoning.
Congratulations to Derrick and Marius, and hopefully both of you are back in Red Bulls jerseys next season at any level whether it be MLS, USL, or PDL.