Columbus Crew 2 is a professional soccer team based in Columbus, Ohio that competes in the MLS Next Pro league, the third division of American soccer. The team is owned by, and operates as the reserve team of the Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew. The team plays home matches at Historic Crew Stadium. The team was announced as a member of MLS Next Pro on December 6, 2021.[3]
 | |||
| Full name | Columbus Crew 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Crew 2, Capybaras[1][2] | ||
| Founded | December 6, 2021 | ||
| Stadium | Historic Crew Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 19,968 | ||
| Owner | Columbus Crew | ||
| General manager | Corey Wray | ||
| Head coach | Kelvin Jones | ||
| League | MLS Next Pro | ||
| 2023 | 3rd, Eastern Conference 1st, Central Division Playoffs: Runner-up | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
History
On December 6, 2021, the Columbus Crew announced the formation of a reserve team in MLS Next Pro that would begin play in the 2022 season and that they would play at Historic Crew Stadium (the parent club's former home venue) in Columbus, Ohio.[4] At the same time, the club announced its first manager, Corey Wrey, who is the Crew's current Assistant General Manager, a position he will continue to hold.[5] The Crew 2 will be one of 21 teams that play in the newly formed league.[6] On January 28, 2022, the Crew announced that Laurent Courtois would serve as the team's first head coach.[7]
The club played their first match on March 26, 2022, which ended in a 0–2 loss to Inter Miami CF II at DRV PNK Stadium.[8] The first win came the following week with a 1–0 victory over Chicago Fire FC II.[9]
Crew 2 won the first ever MLS Next Pro Cup title, defeating St. Louis City SC 2 4-1 on October 8, 2022.[10]
The following year, the team once again qualified for the playoffs and made it to the Cup Final. They were defeated 1–3 by Austin FC II.[11]
Players and staff
Current roster
- As of November 20, 2023[12]
Staff
- As of September 7, 2023[13]
| Front office | |
|---|---|
| Investor-operators | Dee and Jimmy Haslam JW and Whitney Johnson Dr. Pete Edwards |
| President | Tim Bezbatchenko |
| General Manager | Corey Wray |
| Director of Player Development | Dan Lock |
| Coaching staff | |
| Head coach | Kelvin Jones |
| Assistant coach | Kobie Johnson |
| Goalkeeper coach | Alex Blackburn |
| Performance coach | Ahmad Salamah |
| Additional staff | |
| Manager of Soccer Operations | Elena Lemus |
| Head Athletic Therapist | Sara Kusner |
| Equipment Manager | Mike Peters |
Last updated: 14:20, September 7, 2023 (UTC)
Source: [1]
Team records
Season-by-season
- As of September 24, 2023
| Season | MLS Next Pro | Playoffs | Top Scorer | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Div. | Conf. | Overall | Player | Goals | |||
| 2022 | 24 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 62 | 22 | +40 | 55 | 1st | 1st | 1st | Champions |  Jacen Russell-Rowe | 21 | |
| 2023 | 28 | 16 | 3 | 9 | 58 | 46 | +12 | 54 | 1st | 3rd | 5th | Runner-up |  Gibran Rayo | 12 | |
Head coaches record
- As of October 22, 2023
| Name | Nationality | From | To | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurent Courtois |  France | January 28, 2022 | January 8, 2024 | 59 | 38 | 8 | 13 | 137 | 77 | 64.41 |
Honors
| National | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| MLS Next Pro Cup | 1 | 2022 |
| MLS Next Pro Regular Season | 1 | 2022 |
| Eastern Conference | 1 | 2022 |
| Eastern Conference (Playoffs) | 2 | 2022, 2023 |
| Eastern Conference Central Division | 2 | 2022, 2023 |
Monthly Awards
Player of the Month
- May 2022: Jacen Russell-Rowe[14]
- June 2022: Jacen Russell-Rowe[15]
Goalkeeper of the Month
- August 2022: Patrick Schulte[16]
Annual Awards
MLS Next Pro Most Valuable Player
- 2022: Jacen Russell-Rowe[17]
Golden Boot
- 2022: Jacen Russell-Rowe[18]
Goalkeeper of the Year
- 2022: Patrick Schulte[19]
Coach of the Year
- 2022: Laurent Courtois[20]
MLS Next Pro Cup MVP
- 2022: Marco Micaletto