Portland Timbers equipment manager Sam Younie was named MLS Equipment Manager of the Year for the 2015 season, it was announced today as part of the 2015 MLS Club and Executive Award winners.

Younie, who originally joined the Timbers for their final second-division season in 2010, recently completed his sixth year with the organization in 2015. The team’s equipment manager since 2011, Younie plays an integral role within the team, ensuring a wide range of aspects are fully prepared to help make the day-to-day operations of the players and coaches runs as smoothly as possible whether it is during training, home games or road games – much of it done under the radar.



Additionally, Younie helps direct a staff that includes assistant equipment manager Kevin Christiana, as well as equipment managers for T2 of USL and the Timbers Academy.



Timbers’ ticket services staff also received recognition on Thursday as Ticket Services Manager Dan Zusman and Ticket Service Managers Nicole Tillett and Traci Swanson each earned Individual Sales Rep Awards from MLS. Zusman, a longtime member of the Timbers organization, earned a 99.3 percent renewal rate on more than 1,200 accounts, while Tillett registered a 98.9 percent renewal rate on just more than 1,400 accounts. Swanson was not far behind, recording a 98.8 percent renewal rate on close to 1,450 accounts.