COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew SC and Major League Soccer announced that midfielder Justin Meram was voted Alcatel Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 11 of the 2017 MLS season. It is the first Player of the Week honor for Meram in his MLS career as well as the first such honor for the Black & Gold this season.
Meram earned the award following his first MLS hat trick on Saturday, May 13, against the Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo. The midfielder registered the first Crew SC regular-season hat trick since May 28, 2016. Meram’s hat trick made him the seventh player all-time to record at least three goals in a single regular-season match for Columbus, joining Edson Buddle, Stern John, Ola Kamara, Brian Maisonneuve, Ross Paule and Dante Washington.
Meram's performance earned him his third Acura Man of the Match honor of 2017 as well as a place in the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week and GOAL.com's Team of the Week.
In addition to recording his first career hat trick, Meram brought his all-time regular-season total to 31 goals and 30 assists in 166 appearances (114 starts), making him one of only six players to record at least 30 goals and 30 assists or more for the Black & Gold in regular-season action. His 31 goals put Meram ninth on the list of all-time goal scorers for Crew SC. With seven goals and four assists through 12 matches this season, Meram leads the team in goals and assists in 2017 and has already surpassed his 2016 goal total (five). His third goal against Montreal was his third game-winning goal of the season.
This is the 52nd time in MLS history that a Crew SC player has been named MLS Player of the Week. Meram joins current teammates Federico Higuain (three times), Ethan Finlay and Kamara in having earned the weekly honor while a member of Crew SC. The Black & Gold had one Player of the Week recipient in 2016, with Kamara earning the recognition in Week 13 of last season.
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from the NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.
Crew SC next visits New England Revolution on May 21 and Toronto FC on May 26.
The Black & Gold return to MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus to host the defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders on May 31.
