Over the span of a whirlwind 12 days filled with cross-country travels, player combines and interviews and four rounds of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, Columbus Crew SC and Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter enter the 2017 preseason with four new faces looking to prove themselves. Columbus' two First-round selections — defender Lalas Abubakar (No. 5) and forward Niko Hansen (No. 9 - previously acquired by Crew SC via a 2016 trade with New England) overall — join Crew SC after signing with Major League Soccer as college seniors ahead of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. Third Round selection Connor Maloney and Fourth Round pick Logan Ketterer enter the 2017 preseason competing for spots on the roster for the regular season.
All in all, Berhalter added Hansen and Maloney as versatile attack-minded players, Dayton University product Abubakar to help fortify and add depth defensively and Bradley University product Ketterer to bring the goalkeeping contingent to three. All four will report to Columbus by week's end to prepare with Crew SC for a 2-week preseason trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Abubakar
Abubakar, the earliest Crew SC selection, played three seasons at the University of Dayton. In his 61 appearances (60 starts), the 22-year-old central defender scored four goals and recorded six assists.
The Kumasi, Ghana, native joins countrymen Harrison Afful and Designated Player Jonathan Mensah on the Crew SC backline. He has international experience playing for the Ghana Under-20 National Team.
With accolades ranging from the 2016 Atlantic 10 Conference Defender of the Year and half a dozen regional and program honors, the 6-foot-tall stalwart adds potential the Black & Gold's defensive third of the field.
Hansen
Hansen was also selected in the First Round (Ninth overall), just four picks after Abubakar.
The 22-year-old dual-national forward adds to an attack already stout with Ola Kamara, Ethan Finlay, Justin Meram and Adam Jahn. During his time at the University of New Mexico, he appeared 79 times (65 starts), scoring 28 goals and providing 14 assists.
Hansen scored six different national, regional and conference honors as a Lobo.
Maloney
Joining Hansen as a frontline selection, Pennsylvania State University forward Connor Maloney, who enters camp as unsigned SuperDraft pick, was the fifth pick in the Third Round (49th overall) of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft.
Maloney, 21, played four seasons at Penn State, making 73 appearances (all starts), scoring 26 goals and recording 17 assists during his time there. The forward’s senior season saw him lead the team in both goals and assists (7 goals, 5 assists) en route to winning NSCAA Second Team All-Great Lakes Region honors (2016). The three-time First Team All-Big Ten Conference player (2016, 2015, 2014) won the Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Year award during his sophomore season (2014), a season in which he scored 10 goals and contributed with three assists. In his first season with the Nittany Lions, Maloney was named to Big Ten Conference All-Freshman Team.
Ketterer
Logan Ketterer, who enters camp as unsigned SuperDraft pick, joins 2016 returnees Zach Steffen and Brad Stuver in Crew SC's goalkeeping stabel.
He played three seasons at Bradley University, making 51 appearances (16 starts) and posting a 1.37 goals against average. The 23-year-old earned All-Missouri Valley Conference and MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mentions during his senior season, a season that also saw him be named to the ProRehab Aces Soccer Classic All-Tournament Team (2016).
In 2015, Ketterer was named to the NSCAA Scholar All-North/Central Region Second Team (2015). The goalkeeper also won the ProRehab Aces Soccer Classic Defensive MVP during his first year as a starter for the Braves (2014).
Under Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, the 2017 MLS Preseason begins on Monday, January 23, 2017 after entrance physicals and testing. From there, the club departs to Sao Paulo, Brazil for its first preseason camp. Crew SC is slated to remain in Brazil through February 9 before returning to Columbus. The team will be in Central Ohio at SuperKick in Powell from February 8 – February 12 for the second camp of preseason. Following the time in Ohio, the club travels to Charleston, South Carolina to participate in the 2017 Carolina Challenge Cup. More information on Season Ticket Memberships for the 2017 season at MAPFRE Stadium is available at columbuscrewsc.com.
