Columbus Crew Academy


Columbus Crew Academy is the youth academy and development system of American Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew, which competes in MLS Next.
The academy plays in the U15, U16 and U18 divisions in MLS Next and also includes pre-formation teams from the ages of U10-U14 that play in friendlies and tournaments throughout the year.

History

The Columbus Crew academy were founded in 2006. They joined U.S. Soccer Development Academy as a founding member in 2007. They fielded U15/U16 and U17/U18 teams in this league until the 2016-17 season. In the 2017-18 season these age groups were replaced with U16/U17 and U18/U19 teams.
U.S. Soccer Development Academy folded in 2020 and the academy teams moved to the newly founded league, MLS Next, where they entered U14, U15, U17 and U19 teams.
In Fall of 2023, Columbus Crew Academy entered a team into the United Premier Soccer League. They played one season and finished the season by winning the Ohio/Indy Conference, East Region and finishing 3rd place in the national playoffs.
For the 2024-25 season, the age groups participating in MLS Next changed to U15, U16 and U18.

OhioHealth Performance Center

The OhioHealth Performance Center opened in 2021 on the site of Historic Crew Stadium. The Crew moved their training facility from Obetz, OH during the 2021 season with the development of Lower.com Field. The facility includes 3.5 natural grass fields, plus a turf field at Historic Crew Stadium which can support a seasonal bubble during the winter months.

Technical staff

Academy graduates

The following players have joined the Columbus Crew first team on homegrown player contracts after having previously been a Columbus Crew Academy player :
The following players have signed for the Columbus Crew first team on short-term loan contracts for MLS, U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, or Leagues Cup matches, after having been a Columbus Crew Academy player, but did not sign a full-time contract :
  • Gio De Libera
  • Owen Presthus
  • Chase Adams
The following players have signed professional contracts for Columbus Crew 2., after having been a Columbus Crew Academy player, but have never signed a first-team contract or short-term loan. :
  • Aidan Wolf
  • Zion Scarlett
  • Nicolás Rincón
  • Chris Rogers
  • Anthony Alaouieh
  • Brent Adu-Gyamfi
The following players signed contracts with other teams in Major League Soccer, after previously being a Columbus Crew Academy player: