MVP, Goalkeeper, Defender of Year announced for 2025-26 MASL 3 season

TAMPA, Florida -- Major Arena Soccer League 3 is honoring its major award winners as the league decides its fifth-ever champion this weekend in Fredericksburg, Virginia. 

As was the case with First and Second Team All MASL 3 honorees, players were chosen by league officials in consultation with key stakeholders around the league.

Quarterfinals playoff action starts today (March 27) at 11 a.m., with additional games at 1:30, 4 and 6:30 p.m. EDT at the Fredericksburg Fieldhouse. All games are being broadcast live at www.ballertv.com.

Following are the 2025-26 major award winners:

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Aboubakr Diallo, OKC CERTIFIED LIONS

Diallo was a first-team All MASL 3 pick last season, and there was only one more step up from that, which he takes this year as league Most Valuable Player. In his two years with the Lions, he has appeared in 16 regular season games with an amazing 50 goals and 31 assists. He also saved some of his best performances this year for OKC's top divisional rivals. scoring five goals on December 27 against RGV and six goals against Deportivo on January 10. He finished this season with 39 points, second in the league. He was tied for fifth in assists and second in goals despite only playing in seven games. 

DEFENDER OF THE YEAR

ODELL JOHNSON, DELAWARE CITY FC

Much like his teammate, goalkeeper Oscar Lopez who was second team All MASL 3 this year, Johnson was a key defender on a team that played in a tough division, and still allowed only the third fewest goals in the league. Far from a one dimensional player, however, he also contributed with 10 goals and four assists in just seven starts. 

GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR

JAKEB MITCHELL, ROC CITY BOOM

For the second straight year, and despite playing on one of the true offensive powerhouses in the league each of the last two years, Jakeb Mitchell is the 2025-26 Goalkeeper of the Year. Credited with seven of his team's 10 wins, Mitchell also had the league's only shutout in goal when he blanked the Youngstown Nighthawks on February 17. He also had a stretch of games early in the season when, in splitting time in goal, he gave up just one goal in three-straight games.