Who should be voted TheCup.us Player of the Tournament?

The 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup concluded with Nashville SC beating Austin FC to win the United States’ oldest cup competition. While Nashville SC made history as the first Tennessee club to lift the trophy, which individual players made the biggest impact on the 110th edition of the tournament?

Since 2006, TheCup.us has selected a Player of the Tournament. In 2012, the award was expanded to honor the top individual performer among the competition’s lower division entries. 

All of the awards are voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters, and select backers from TheCup.us’ Patreon. If you’d like to cast a vote for any of the awards, consider pledging $10 or more and help us continue our US Open Cup coverage and to research it’s long history.

We encourage everyone to read over each players’ tournament resume and make your case for who you think should win the award on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instragram). 

Below are the list of finalists for the 2025 TheCup.us Player of the Tournament:

Osman Bukari (Austin FC)

Bukari played a key role in helping Austin FC reach the championship game with two goals (one game-winner) and one assist

Round 4: Came off the bench at halftime in a 3-2 home win vs. El Paso Locomotive FC (USL-C)
Round 5: Started, played 70 minutes, scored the game-winning PK goal in the 56th min., assisted on a 60th min. goal in a 3-1 home win vs. Houston Dynamo FC (MLS)
Quarterfinals: Started, played 66 minutes in a 2-2 road draw and a 4-2 PK win at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Semifinals: Started, played 98 minutes, scored the opening goal in a 2-1 extra time road win at Minnesota United FC (MLS)
Final: Started, played 90 minutes in a 2-1 home loss vs. Nashville SC (MLS)

Ricarco Jerez (Chattanooga Red Wolves SC)

Jerez, winner of TheCup.us Lower Division Player of the Tournament, became the first goalkeeper in the Modern Era (1995-present) to not only win three PK shootouts in a single tournament but he won them consecutively.

Round 1: Started, played 120 minutes, made 5 saves in a 2-2 road draw at New Jersey Alliance (UPSL). Played down a man after a 36th minute red card. Made 1 save and had 1 attempt missed in a 4-2 penalty kick shootout win.
Round 2: Started, played 120 minutes, made 2 saves in a 1-1 road draw at Chattanooga FC (MLSNP). Made 1 save in a 5-4 penalty kick shootout win.
Round 3: Started, played 120 minutes, made 7 saves in a 2-2 road draw at Las Vegas Lights FC (USL-C). Made 2 saves in a 4-3 penalty kick shootout win.
Round 4: Started, played 90 minutes, made 2 saves in a 1-0 road loss at Nashville SC (MLS). Played last 10 minutes with 10 men after red card.

Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)

Schwake became just the 11th Modern Era goalkeeper (and third backup) to play every minute of a team’s run to a US Open Cup title.

Round 4: Started, played 90 minutes, made 3 saves in a 1-0 home win vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves (USL-1)
Round 5: Started, played 90 minutes, made 1 save in a 3-2 road win at Orlando City SC (MLS)
Quarterfinals: Started, played 90 minutes, made 1 save in a 5-2 home win vs. D.C. United (MLS)
Semifinals: Started, played 90 minutes, made 3 saves in a 3-1 home win vs. Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Final: Started, played 90 minutes, made 7 saves including a PK save in a 2-1 road win at Austin FC (MLS) – was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

Sam Surridge (Nashville SC)

Surridge led the tournament in scoring with six goals which ties the Modern Era single-tournament goalscoring record

Round 4: Did not play in 1-0 home win vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves (USL-1)
Round 5: Did not play in 3-2 road win at Orlando City SC (MLS)
Quarterfinals: Started, played 89 minutes, scored 2 goals (PK, game-winner in 72nd min.) in 5-2 home win vs. D.C. United (MLS)
Semifinals: Started, played 89 minutes, scored 3 goals in a 3-1 road win vs. Philadelphia Union (MLS) – was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round
Final: Started, played 90 minutes, scored the game-winning PK goal in the 60th minute, received a red card in stoppage time in a 2-1 road win at Austin FC (MLS)

Myrto Uzuni (Austin FC)

Uzuni played a key role in leading Austin FC to the US Open Cup Final. He was second on the team in scoring with three goals.

Round 4: Started, played 90 minutes, scored a 76th min. equalizer in a 3-2 home win vs. El Paso Locomotive FC (USL-C)
Round 5: Came off the bench in the 62nd minute in a 3-1 home win vs. Houston Dynamo FC (MLS)
Quarterfinals: Came off the bench in the 66th minute, scored the game-tying PK goal in the 115th min., also scored a PK in the shootout in a 2-2 road draw and a 4-2 PK win at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Semifinals: Started, played 120 minutes in a 2-1 extra time road win at Minnesota United FC (MLS)
Final: Started, played 90 minutes, scored a goal in the 45th minute in a 2-1 road loss vs. Nashville SC (MLS)

Brandon Vasquez (Austin FC)

While Vasquez tore his ACL in the Quarterfinals and was unable to be a part of an Austin FC team that reached the US Open Cup Final, he was the main reason they got as far as they did, scoring four goals and dishing out one assist in three games.

Round 4: Started, played 90 minutes, after trailing 2-0, Vasquez scored 2 goals and had 1 assist in a 7-minute span in a 3-2 home win vs. El Paso Locomotive FC (USL-C)
Round 5: Started, played 62 minutes, scored the opening goal in a 3-1 home win vs. Houston Dynamo FC (MLS)
Quarterfinals: Started, played 72 minutes, scored a PK goal in the 65th min., tore his ACL in a 2-2 road draw and a 4-2 PK win at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Semifinals: Did not play in a 2-1 extra time road win at Minnesota United FC (MLS)
Final: Did not play in a 2-1 home loss vs. Nashville SC (MLS)