TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship today announced that El Paso Locomotive FC forward Andy Cabrera has been voted the USL Championship Player of the Month presented by Konami eFootball with a league-leading eight goal contributions through five matches.
Cabrera recorded six goals and two assists through a combined five USL Championship and USL Jägermeister Cup matches, notably recording the first hat trick in Locomotive history in a 3-0 shutout against Derby Del Camino Real rival New Mexico United, bagging the lone goal in a 1-1 draw with FC Tulsa, assisting Eric Calvillo's winner against Indy Eleven and providing a match-winning brace against Las Vegas Lights FC.
“I’m grateful for this award, but this is as much about my teammates as it is about me," Cabrera said. "They put me in positions to succeed and I’ve been able to take advantage. I know that they could go on the same hot streak at anytime which makes our offense hard to defend.”
Cabrera is only the second player in Locomotive history to receive USL Championship Player of the Month honors, the first since Jerome Kiesewetter received the nod in May 2019.
Cabrera returned to El Paso after signing a new deal over the offseason. He made eight appearances and logged 524 minutes of action after signing as a late-season addition in the 2024 campaign. Cabrera recorded nine shots and 10 chances created in his limited minutes.
“I’ve been pushing him hard. I think I push him more than anybody because I know what he is capable of," said El Paso Locomotive FC Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera. "Sometimes I’m too hard on him, to be honest with you, because I want more and more and more, and I see the potential. It can be tough for him to play for the team because I’m the first one to always come after him because of something positive or something negative. Luckily for us, he’s in great form right now and hopefully he is able to continue that.”
The 24-year-old previously competed in the USL Championship for Rio Grande Valley FC, recording 11 goals and three assists in 55 appearances as a USL Academy signing for the Toros. He played collegiately for Butler University, where he was a three-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection.
Cabrera earned 42% of a weighted poll that included the USL Championship Technical Committee, a national panel of independent media representing every USL market and an online fan vote held at USLChampionship.com. Charleston Battery forward Cal Jennings finished second on 30% with six goals and one assist in five appearances, while Miami FC forward Francisco Bonfiglio finished third on 21% with five goal contributions in four matches.
Nominee | Fan Vote | Weight | Media Vote | Weight | USL Vote | Weight | Total Vote |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andy Cabrera (ELP) | 33% | 17% | 64% | 15% | 40% | 10% | 42% |
Cal Jennings (CHS) | 13% | 7% | 36% | 9% | 60% | 15% | 30% |
Francisco Bonfiglio (MIA) | 42% | 21% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 21% |
Danny Vitiello (SAC) | 12% | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 6% |