Jermaine Jones Runner Up to Tim Howard for US Soccer's Male Athlete of the Year

Tim Howard has been voted US Soccer's Male Athlete of the Year for 2014, finishing ahead of New England Revolution midfielder Jermaine Jones and Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman.

It's the second award for the Everton and United States international keeper, who also won the award in 2008. Four other US players have won the award multiple times, Marcelo Balboa, Kasey Keller, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan.

From the USSoccer.com article linked above:

"It's an honor. I know the winners on the list who have come before me, so it's special to have my name up there," Howard said on SportsCenter. "The whole ride with the team for about a month and a half, when we got together for training camp and we flew down to Brazil, we had a really good time and that made 2014 so special to me."

A new voting process took place this year, with votes collectehttp://www.sbnation.com/admin/entries/new?community_id=347&entry_type=Articled from Men's National Team players earned a cap in 2014, Men's National Team and Youth Men's National Team coaches, Major League Soccer and North American Soccer League head coaches and select former players, administrators and media members.

Howard received 64 percent of the tabulated votes, followed by Jermaine Jones (19 percent) and Kyle Beckerman (11 percent).

The other nominations announced earlier this week were Dempsey, Alejandro Bedoya and Fabian Johnson. Tim Howard as a deserving winner highlighted by a 15-save effort at the World Cup against Belgium. Jones' long-range, curling goal against Portugal highlighted his year on the international level and along with Beckerman's steady performances in 2014 for both club and country, it's no surprise that the most steady areas on the field for the USMNT, goalkeeper and defensive midfield were reflected in this year's award.