Honoree
Sina Toussi
Sina Toussi is the founder of Two Seas Capital, an investment fund that focuses on litigation-driven investments arising from restructurings, bankruptcies, commercial disputes, corporate malfeasance, and regulatory events. Previously, he served as Managing Director and Chief Legal Officer of VR Capital Group, an alternative asset manager focused on distressed securities and event-driven/special situations investments.
Mr. Toussi spent his childhood years living in the Morris Heights section of the South Bronx after his family immigrated from Iran. He has also been a lifelong soccer fan and player. Mr. Toussi's other prior roles include serving as a Partner and General Counsel at One East Capital Advisors, a multi-strategy and event-driven hedge fund; a Vice President and Special Counsel to the Chairman at MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings; and an Associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom where he focused on M&A and corporate restructuring. Mr. Toussi received a B.A., cum laude, in Philosophy with a minor in Mathematics from Cornell University in 1991 and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1994. He is a member of South Bronx United’s Advisory Council and has been a supporter for more than ten years.
Soccer for Good Award
Margaret Midge Purce
Margaret "Midge" Purce is a forward for NJ/NY Gotham FC in the National Women's Soccer League and has appeared 24 times for the United States women's national team. Ms. Purce's exploits extend far beyond the field, however. She graduated from Harvard University, majoring in Psychology, and in 2020 became the youngest member on Harvard University's Board of Overseers where she currently is serving a six-year term. Ms. Purce co-founded the Black Women's Player Collective, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization created to advance opportunities for black girls in sport and beyond. She also helped the U.S. women's national team close its landmark collective bargaining agreement, appearing at the White House in 2021 to raise awareness of equal pay. In 2023, Ms. Purce was named to Forbes 30 under 30 list.
Ms. Purce is originally from Silver Spring, Maryland where she was named Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year. At Harvard, she was twice named Ivy League Player of the Year, scoring 42 goals in 69 appearances. After being drafted by the Boston Breakers in 2017, she also went on to play for the Portland Thorns before joining NJ/NY Gotham FC (previously Sky Blue FC) in 2020. She was named to the NWSL's Best XI in 2021 and earned her first senior national team call-up that November. To date, she has scored four times for the national team.
Alumni Honoree
Lesley Miron
Lesley Miron was born and raised in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx to parents who had immigrated from Mexico. She joined South Bronx United’s SBU Academy as a 9th grader seeking to pursue her interest in soccer. She quickly grew into a leader in the program. In 2019, Lesley was one of five girls who flew to Lyon, France to represent SBU at Festival ‘19, a global youth summit held by Common Goal (formerly streetfootballworld) during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. At the event, she had the opportunity to attend several games including the United States’ finals victory.
Lesley also became captain of South Bronx United Girls U19 team. She attended high school at the Academy of Mount Saint Ursula in the Bronx and is a graduate of the SBU Academy Class of 2021. Lesley now attends New York University where she is majoring in social work. Currently, she is serving as a social work intern at South Bronx United giving her the opportunity to give back and serve as a role model for the next generation of youth.
Emcee
Christian Polanco
Christian Polanco is a comedian and one half of the Cooligans duo. In 2015, he partnered with Alexis Guerrero to start a podcast and series of videos bringing humor to the game of soccer in America. They can be seen and heard on The Cooligans Podcast on the Le Batard & Friends Podcast Network of Meadowlark Media, merging humor and soccer commentary along with interviews of legends and current players of Europe, Latin America, North America, the women’s game, and big name personalities and comedians.
Mr. Polanco is a native of Brooklyn New York and the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. He discovered at an early age that being funny was a way to get people to like you and “not want to beat you up.” Mr. Polanco’s comedic style has been greatly influenced by such comedians as George Carlin, Conan O’Brien and Chris Rock. He has performed in clubs all over New York City, around the country, and in Canada and the UK.
Special Guest
Matt Freese
Matt Freese joined New York City FC in 2023 and by the end of the year had stepped into a role as the team’s starting goalkeeper. He was signed by the Philadelphia Union in 2018 to a homegrown contract, having grown up in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Mr. Freese played two years at Harvard University and has represented the United States at the Under-19 and Under-23 level including the 2020 Men’s Olympic Qualifying tournament.