Rodrigo Faria became a third MetroStar to win a major individual award this year, capturing the Rookie of the Year title. Leading the Metros with eight goals, he outdistanced DC United's Santino Quaranta and Dallas' Ryan Suarez to take the prize. A second-round selection in the 2001 Draft, Faria played at Concordia College in the Bronx, prior to joining the MetroStars reserve team and "graduating" this year. Faria's eight goals tied the MLS rookie record, and he did it in a shortened season.

Faria joins Tim Howard (Goalkeeper of the Year) and Clint Mathis (Goal of the Year) as MetroStars to win individual MLS awards in the 2001 season. Prior to 2001, no Metro had been honored, although there were some glaring omissions (Tony Meola in 1996, Mathis in 2000).