De Rosario, Pacius, Rea up for Best Canadian Under-21 Player

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Premier League announced on Thursday the nominees for this year’s Best Canadian Under-21 Player award, honouring the best player aged 21 or younger during the 2022 regular season.

York United’s Osaze De Rosario, Forge FC’s Woobens Pacius and Valour FC’s Sean Rea were nominated for the award by members of the league office. The award will be voted on by select media members, with the winner revealed at an in-person ceremony during the league’s 2022 Finals Weekend.

De Rosario, 21, signed with York United in April and quickly made an impact, scoring from long-range against FC Edmonton in his second appearance for the club. De Rosario, who grew up playing in Toronto, finished the year with 12 goals, becoming the Nine Stripes’ all-time leading goal scorer and finishing second in the CPL’s Golden Boot race. He was named to the CPL’s Gatorade Team of the Week six times in 2022, and won Player of the Week for Week 17, following a two-goal performance against HFX Wanderers.

Pacius, 21, turned heads in his first full season with Forge FC. The native of Terrebonne, Que. scored 10 goals for Forge, leading the team in that category and finishing fourth among CPL goal scorers. His 39 shots were also a team high. Pacius was named CPL Player of the Month for July, a month in which he scored six of his 10 goals and helped Forge to go unbeaten in five matches. Pacius was included in the CPL’s Gatorade Team of the Week on three occasions in 2022, winning Player of the Week for Week 15.

Rea, 20, had a breakout season in 2022 after he was loaned back to Valour FC by CF Montreal in Major League Soccer in April. The 20-year-old winger from Montreal, Que. finished the regular season with a league-leading nine assists. His five goals were four more than he contributed while on loan with Valour during the 2021 season. Rea won the CPL’s Player of the Month nod for August, after picking up two goals and two assists and twice earning Gatorade Performance of the Match honours for Valour. He was named to the CPL’s Gatorade Team of the Week six times in 2022.

Voting for all the CPL’s annual awards will this year be based on performances during the regular season, not including Canadian Championship, Concacaf or playoff action.

The winner of the Best Canadian Under-21 Player will be awarded a unique piece of Inuit soapstone art, conceived by artist Taqialuk Nuna. The Polar Bear statue is awarded…